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REV.   ANDREW  JACKSON  NEWGENT 
Latest  Photograph 


THE  EXPERIENCES  OF 
UNCLE  JACK 

Being  a  Biography  of 

REV.  ANDREW  JACKSON  NEWGENT 


BY 

REV.  W.  ED.  SNYDER 

a  Minister  in   the  United  Brethren  Church 


Kineteen  Hundred  and  Eleven 

United  Prethren  Puhlishing  h'<iusr 

W.  R.  Funk,  Agent 

Dayton,  Ohio 


Prinled  by 

United  Brethren  Publishing  House 

W.  R.Funk,  Agent 

Dayton,  Ohio 


PREFACE 

THAT    which    n^iuires    an    apology    should    be    left 
iindouo.       IIpik'o,    the   author  of   tiiis   hunihle   work 
offers  no  apology  in  sending  it   forth.       If   it  finds 
favor  in  the  sight  of  those  into  whose  liands  it  may 
fall,    he    will    appreciate    it.       If    not,    it    is    confidently 
assumed  that  the  world  will  pursue  its  wonted  course,  and 
no  one  will  be  the  worse,  if  not  the  wiser. 

No  special  literary  excellence  is  claimed  for  it.  It  is 
a  feeble,  though  honest,  attempt  to  preserve  from  the  cold, 
merciless  realm  of  oblivion  a  life  story  that  is  well  worth 
preserving — the  life  story  of  one  for  whom  I  have  come 
to  have  the  jirofoundest  reverence  and  affection.  My 
only  regret  is  that  it  has  not  been  done  better. 

Its  chief  value  consists  in  the  fact  that  it  reveals  the 
fundamental  elements  of  true  character  and  true  success. 
The  life  of  "I'ncle  .lack"  Newgent  is  a  conspicuous  illus- 
tration of  the  fact  that  each  individual  is  the  architect  of 
liis  own  fate  or  fortune,  that  the  conditions  of  success  are 
internal  and  not  external.  This  has  been  his  life  phil- 
osophy and  has  been  abundantly  vindicated  by  his  life 
record.  His  right  to  a  proper  regard  among  his  fellows 
rests  upon  his  sterling  qualities  of  manhood,  devotion  to  a 
great  purpose,  and  personal  achievements  that  have  added 
to  the  sum  total  of  the  world's  weal  and  worth.  He 
belongs  to  a  worthy  line  of  foundation  builders  whose 
work  underlies  the  gi*eat  superstructures  of  both  church 
and  state  of  the  present  day. 

Hence,  two  purposes  have  been  kept  in  view  in  the 
writing  of  this  sketch — to  acknowledge,  if  not  to  pay,  a 
debt  of  honor  and  gratitude  the  Church  owes  to  a  worthy 
man  ;  and  by  giving  special  attention  to  those  personal 
qualities  that  make  for  success  always  and  everywhere, 
and  which  were  so  strikingly  exemplified  in  his  character, 
to  preserve  the  les.sons  of  his  life  to  the  present  and 
future  generations  in  the  hope  that  they  may  thus  con- 
tribute to  the  further  pix)gress  of  righteousness.  If  in 
this  unpretentious  little  volume  these  purposes  are  in  any 
degree  fulfilled,  I  shall  be  abundantly  satisfied. 

\Y.  E.  Snyder,     /f  77'  /fY^ 
-J 


cP 


INTRODUCTION 


THE  pleasing  task  of  writing;  au  introduction  to  tlie 
life  of  my  noble  friend,  Rev.  A.  J.  Newgent,  has 
fallen  upon  me.  The  intimate  association  which  I 
have  had  with  him  for  many  years  gives  me  a 
peculiar  pleasure  in  seeing  the  record  of  his  splendid  life 
placed  before  the  Church. 

Biograph.y  is  one  of  the  most  important  departments 
of  literature,  and  Mr.  Newgent  is  eminently  worthy  of  the 
permanent  place  in  history  Avhich  this  volume  accords 
him.  I  feel  that  fitting  tributes  in  historic  sketches 
should  not  only  be  paid  the  men  of  God  who  have  planted 
the  Church  in  this  nation,  but  posterity  should  come  and 
say  over  their  graves,  as  I'ericles  did  over  the  bodies  of 
his  fallen  fellow  soldiers :  "You  are  like  the  divinities 
above  us :  you  are  known  only  by  the  benefits  you  have 
conferred."  It  is  of  such  a  man,  though  still  living 
among  us,  that  Dr.  W.  E.  Snyder  gives  the  accurately 
drawn  portraiture  in  the  chapters  of  this  well-written 
biography.  The  work  has  been  prepared  with  good  judg- 
meut  and  much  skill.  The  incidents  of  his  life  are  given 
in  sufficient  detail,  and  make  the  volume  exceedingly  inter- 
esting and  instructive.  Such  a  publication  is  of  great 
value,  not  only  to  those  who  enter  the  ministry,  but  to  the 
whole  Church,  and  especially  to  the  young.  To  study  the 
career  of  one,  who,  by  fortitude  and  zeal,  has  carved  his 
way  from  humble  surroundings  to  a  high  place  of  honor 
among  his  fellow-men — passing  through  varied  and  strik- 
ing vicissitudes  in  the  struggle — can  but  inspire  and 
ennoble  other  lives. 

Entering  the  ministry  before  our  pioneer  style  of  life 
had  passed  away  in  the  west,  Mr.  Newgent  adapted  him- 
self to  the  humblest  conditions  of  society.  The  fields  of 
labor  which  he  occupied  in  those  early  years  of  his  pastor- 
ate were  sutlicient  to  remind  him  of  the  privation  and 
hardships  of  those  who  had  preceded  him  ;  but  no  condi- 
tion was  humble  enough  or  severe  enough  to  deter  him 
from  the  work  to  which  his  young  life  had  been  conse- 
crated. He  could  lodge  in  the  loft  of  the  lowliest  cabin 
and  subsist  upon  the  cheapest  fare.  In  quest  of  souls  he 
thought  little  of  anything  else.  Living  among  the  people, 
a  very  small  salary  v\'ould  suffice  for  him.  He  knew  what 
it  was  to  live  on  a  moiety  of  one  hundred  dollars  and  less. 
There   have   been    no    dangers   or    hardships,    no   toils   or 


privations,  no  suffering  or  sorrow  sufficient  to  daunt  his 
heroic  spirit.  Fortunately,  Mr.  Ncvvgent  is  so  constructed 
as  to  see  the  bright  side  of  every  difficulty,  and  his  inimi- 
table humor  has  made  his  family  and  friends  laugh  in  the 
darkest  hours  of  his  ministerial  life. 

Unflinching  loyalty  to  the  Church  has  ever  marked 
the  career  of  Mr.  Newgent.  Though  he  has  been  pecu- 
liarly free  from  sectarian  prejudices  or  bitterness,  his 
attachment  to  his  own  xieople  lias  been  conscientious  and 
unwa\ering.  All  his  energies  have  been  devoted  to  the 
advancement  of  the  Church  of  his  choice.  He  has  stood 
for  the  defense  of  its  doctrines  and  polity,  and  those  who 
have  drawn  him  into  debate  over  any  feature  of  our  sys- 
tem have  not  challenged  liim  a  second  time.  In  the 
earlier  da.ys  of  his  ministry  he  was  many  times  called  in 
debate  with  the  strongest  men  of  other  denominations, 
and  has  proved  himself  equal  to  any  antagonist  who  has 
met  him  in  discussion.  Many  have  gone  down  before  his 
unanswerable  arguments,  and  not  a  few  have  been  driven 
from  the  contest  because  they  could  not  stand  before  the 
torrent  of  his  eloquence  and  the  indescribable  power  of 
his  wit.  In  all  his  ministerial  work  these  qualities  have 
often  been  of  great  advantage  to  him.  Few  men  could 
possess  such  wit  and  eccentricities  as  Mr.  Newgent  com- 
mands, and  use  them  to  advantage  without  some  objection 
by  the  people.  But  like  all  his  other  gifts,  these  peculiar 
qualities  have  been  consecrated  to  the  service  of  doing 
good,  and  in  their  use  he  has  maintained  his  ministerial 
consecration  and  influence  with  never  a  breath  of  sus- 
picion cast  upon  his  good  name. 

It  is  gratifying  to  his  many  friends  that  Mr.  Newgent, 
though  retired  from  the  active  work  of  the  ministry,  is 
still  in  possession  of  all  his  mental  powers,  and  no  doubt 
will  live  to  read  his  own  biography.  Few  men  have  been 
so  fortunate.  To  have  spent  his  long  and  useful  life  in 
the  most  interesting  period  of  the  history  of  the  Church, 
and  then  remain  to  read  the  part  he  has  played  in  the 
making  of  that  history,  is  a  privilege  that  most  of  Christ's 
embassadors  have  never  enjoyed.  Back  when  the  Pub- 
lishing House  was  struggling  for  existence,  he  loyally 
supported  the  little  plant,  and  never  failed  to  circulate 
our  books  and  push  our  periodicals  in  every  charge  he  has 
filled.  When  our  institutions  of  learning  were  in  their 
infancy,  and  much  opposition  was  brought  against  educa- 
tion, lie  was  a  friend  of  the  schools,  and  again  and  again 
has  gone  into  the  field  to  raise  money  for  their  support. 
He  has  seen  the  great  benevolent  boards  of  the  Church 
and  nearly  all  our  connectional  institutions  come  up  from 
the  smallest  beginnings,  and  has  never  failed  to  espouse 
the  cause  of  these  important  agencies  for  the  promotion 
of  Christ's  kingdom.  Even  the  conference  in  which  he 
began  his  ministry  has  grown  in  his  day  from  a  handful 


to  a  host,  and  uo  mau  has  watdiod  its  growth  with  deeper 
pride  or  more  anxious  concern  than  himself. 

I  could  write  much  more  in  the  line  of  these  thoughts, 
but  the  chapters  of  this  volume  will  give  in  clear  light  the 
characteristics  which  can  only  be  hinted  at  in  the  limits 
of  an  introduction.  The  skilled  pen  of  the  biographer 
will  bring  out  in  forceful  and  charming  manner  the  noble 
traits  of  the  gifted  brother  whose  career  he  has  studied 
with  great  care  and  painstaking  interest.  Let  the  book 
have  a  wide  circulation,  let  the  youth  read  its  inspiring 
sentiments,  and  the  horizon  of  their  thoughts  will  be 
enlarged  and  the  desire  to  be  loyal  to  God  and  to  every 
good  work  will  be  stimulated  and  strengthened. 

T.  C.  Carter. 
November  27,   1911. 


CONTENTS 


PAflR 

rreface    3 

Introduction 4 

CITAPTER  ONE. 

Ancestry — Picture  of  pioneer  life — Imprisonment  and 
release  of  Pompey  Smash — Little  Jack's  short-cut 
In  the  study  of  astronomy- — The  fate  of  his  first 
pair    of    breeches 9 

CHAPTER  TWO 
The    tragic    death    of    the    father— Removal    to     Parlje 
County  —  School     Days  —  Conversion  —  Chani^o     of 
church    relationship — A    reniarkal)le    providence.  ...      2.3 

CHAPTER  THREE 
Call   to   the  ministry — First   sermon — The   boy   preacher 
— Answeiing    a    fool    after    his     folly — Turning    a 
camp-meeting    tide — Quieting    a    skirmish — Takes    a 
wife    39 

CHAPTER  FOUR 
Conference  membership — IJruIitz  Creek  ministry — The 
modprn  knisht  and  his  steed — Abrupt  closing  of 
family  devotions  by  a  dog-on-the-preacher — An  orig- 
inal marriage  ceremony — A  case  of  mistaken  iden- 
tity —  A  banner  missionary  collection  —  Shawnee 
Prairie  pastorate — A  cold  day  in  April — The  re- 
demption of  Hell's  Half  Acre — Baiting  for  a  pervese 
fish — An  experience  in   the  whisky   business .'51 

CHAPTER  FIVE 
Six  months  at  Rainsville — A  hot-bed  of  Southern  sym- 
pathizers— A  mix-up  with  saloon  men — A  sermon 
on  slavery — Fire  and  brimstone — An  antagonist  out- 
witted— A  sermon  from  the  book  of  Newgent — Can 
any  good  thing  come  out  of  Rainsville? 70 

CHAPTER  SIX 
The  war  spirit  in  Indiana — Breaking  up  a  traitorous 
plot — Narrow  escape  from  enemies — Assists  in  se- 
curing recruits — Becomes  chaplain  of  his  regiment 
—Exchange  of  courtesies  with  a  Presbyterian  min- 
ister—An embarrassing  predicament — Saves  his 
regiment  from  capture — Organizes  military  church 
—  Chased  by  Johnnies  —  An  exciting  homeward 
Journey    80 

CHAPTER  SEVEN 
I'lants  the  United  Brethren  banner  in  Terre  Haute — 
Prairieton  pastorate — Difficulty  with  the  sons  of 
Anak — A  prayer  without  an  "Amen" — Another  com- 
munity redeemed — Going  to  the  wrong  doctor — A 
perverse  colt — An  unintentional  immersion — One 
sermon  that  was  not  dry 98 


PACK 

CHAI'TER  EIGHT 
The  New  Goshen  pastorate — An  old  grudge  healed — Dry 
bones  revived — Memorable  year  at  "Dogtown" — 
"Death  In  the  pot'"— The  Hittites  captured — The 
"Jerks"  —  Other  remarkable  demonstrations  —  A 
rooster  in  the  missionary  collection — First  debate — 
Unpleasant  sequel  to  a  horse  trade HI 

CHAPTER  NINE 

Labors  at   Mattoon,  Illinois — A   persistent  campaign  and 

a  srrcat   victory — Second    Nev.'   (Joshen   pastorate— A 

coi'ncidenco — Success  at  Trairieton — Laboring  in  the 

shadow — The    death    of    Mrs.    Newgent — A    bishoii's 

tribute  to    her   character 1^1 

CHAPTER  TEN 

First  great  debate — The  deliate  as  an  institution — The 
challenge — Opponents  get  weak-kneed — Prolonging 
maneuvers — A  hungry  multitude  unfed — Battle  be- 
gins— Questions  discussed — An  improvised  creed  for 
his  opnonent — A  premature  baptism — An  opponent's 
tribute   to  his  genius — Crowning  the   victor i:>8 

CHAPTER  ELEVEN 
Subsefpient  debates — The  Owen  contest — He  got  his 
"Treat" — Opponent's  confession — Dressing  "Stone" 
• — A  scared  Baptist — Invades  the  Lutheran  ranks — 
Measures  steel  with  Doctor  Ingram — Dissertation 
on  infant  baptism — Opponent's  early  flight — Con-  _ 
eludes  the  debate  alone — The  Haw  debate luo 

CHAPTER  TWELVE 
Perrvsville  and  Centerpoint — Industry  rewarded  from  an 
uRsusuected    source — A    "slick     wedding" — Fruitful 
labors' at  Centerpoint — A  one-sided  union  meeting —     ^ 
The  doctrine  of,  the  resurrection  again  demonstrated  1  ( 1 

CHAPTER  THIRTEEN 
Becomes  a  missionary  superintendent — Second  marriage 
— An  unexpected  welcome — Forms  a  Quaker  friend- 
sliip — The  Spirit  moves  in  a  Quaker  meeting — A 
Quaker's  praver  answered — Builds  a  college — 
Shows  what  to  do  for  a  dead  church — Another  tut 
on  the  doctrine  of  baptism — Conversion  of  a  Dunk- 
ard  preacher — Turns  a  great  movement  m  the  right 

direction     1°" 

CHAPTER   FOURTEEN 
Autumn — The  fading  leaf — Fruit  in  old  age — Ills  later 

labors — Present    home    1^" 

CHAPTER  FIFTEEN 

A    Character    Sketch 202 

CHAPTER  SIXTEEN 
"Lights  out,"'  a  dirge  of  the  war 210 


CiiAPTKU  Oni:. 

Ancestry  —  Picture  of  Pioneer  Life  —  Imprisonment 
and  Release  of  Pompey  Smash — Little  Jack's 
Short  Cut  in  the  Study  of  Astronomy — The  Fate 
of  his  First  Pair  of  Breeches. 

Once  upon  a  time,  so  long  a^xo  that  the 
chronolooy  of  it  has  become  hidden  in  the 
mists  of  historical  nnc<^rtainties,  a  man  with 
his  family  emigrated  from  the  hill  section 
of  northern  Ireland  to  tlie  vicinity  of  Dub- 
lin. What  his  real  name  was  also  belongs 
to  the  realm  of  tlie  unknown,  but  among  the 
unsophisticated  rural  inhabitants  with 
whom  he  had  cast  his  lot  he  was  character- 
ized simply  as  tlie  "new  gentleman."  In 
course  of  time,  the  somewhat  cumbersome 
title  became  abbreviated  to  "new  gent,"  the 
original  appellation  finally  passing  from 
common  usage  entirely.  That  this  new 
gentleman  vras  a  person  of  some  force  of 
character  may  be  inferred  from  the  distinc- 
tion he  seems  to  have  achieved  among  his 
new  neighbors  and  the  fact  that  the  name 
has  been  honored  by  men  of  rank  and  emi- 
nence among  his  descendants,  a  conspicuous 
example  being  Lord  Robert  Xewgent  (or 
Nugent),  the  celebrated  Irish  scholar  and 
statesman. 

9 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

Among'  tlie  later  dosceudants  were  tliree 
brothers  wlio  decided  to  cast  their  fortunes 
with  the  land  of  dreams  and  fancies  across 
the  Atlantic.  Their  names  were  Edward, 
William,  and  Thomas  Xewi^ent.  On  reach- 
ing America  Edward  directed  his  course  to- 
Avard  the  sunny  South,  William  remained 
somewhere  in  the  East,  while  Thomas  struck 
out  toAvard  (lie  vast  region  of  unbroken  for- 
ests on  the  western  slopes  of  the  Alleghe- 
nies.  ITis  pilgrimage  terminated  somewhere 
in  the  bounds  of  Kentucky.  He  secured  a 
tract  of  land  near  Cincinnati,  and  in  pro- 
cess of  time  met,  wooed,  and  won  a  wealthy 
daughter  of  Virginia.  He  Avas  contempo- 
rary AA'ith  the  Boones  in  reclaiming  this 
great  region  of  possibilities  for  ciAdlization ; 
helped  to  survey  the  State ;  taught  school  on 
both  sides  of  the  Ohio  TJiver,  Avinning  for 
himself  the  title  of  "Irish  Schoolmaster," 
Avhich,  in  this  case,  carried  with  it  no  small 
degree  of  distinction.  He  Avas  a  soldier  in 
three  Avars,  that  of  the  Revolution,  of  1812, 
and  the  Blackhawk  T^^ar,  for  Avhich  serv- 
ices he  received  a  pension  from  the  Govern- 
ment, He  professed  religion  at  the  ripe  age 
of  eighty,  and  was  spared  to  redeem  in  part 
his  long  neglected  opportunities  by  spend- 
ing almost  a  quarter  of  a  century  in  active 
Christian  serA^ce,  his  long  and  CA'cntful  life 
10 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

closing,  accordiui;'  to  an  uncertain  tradition, 
in  the  103d  jear  of  his  age.  He  was  the 
father  of  Charles  Nevrgent,  who  was  the 
father  of  Andrew  Jackson  Newgent,  the 
hero  of  this  simple  narrative. 

In  Charles  Newgent  the  elements  of  char- 
acter peculiar  to  his  race  were  exceptionally 
strong.  A  most  marked  propensity  was  his 
fondness  for  a  joke.  He  would  take  more 
interest  in  concocting  some  new  trick  to  be 
l)laYed  on  a  neighbor  or  in  devising  a  scheme 
for  merrymaking  than  in  a  critical  study  of 
the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  or  in  solving  an 
intricate  tlieological  problem.  But  while 
the  religious  faculty  remained  somewhat 
dormant,  he  was  warm-hearted  and  gener- 
ous, a  good  neighbor  and  citizen,  according 
to  the  simple  requirements  of  the  times. 
In  educational  attainments  he  was  far 
above  the  average.  He  was  a  prominent 
figure  in  local  political  circles,  being  a  Jef- 
fersonian  Democrat  of  a  rather  emphatic 
type.  His  ever  ready  wit  and  fluency  of 
speech  made  him  a  master  on  the  stump 
and  a  formidable  antagonist  in  political  de- 
bates. The  ability  to  give  a  humorous  turn 
to  any  remark  or  incident  served  him  well 
upon  such  occasions.  His  peculiar  tempera- 
ment gave  him  special  aptitude  as  an  auc- 
tioneer, in  Avliich  capacity  he  had  no  su- 
it 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

perior.  People  would  attend  his  sales  as 
niiicli  to  be  eiitertaiDed  by  his  witticisms 
as  for  the  bargains  he  might  have  to  offer, 
and  those  who  came  to  laugh  often  remained 
to  settle  a  bill  for  sometliing  they  had  no 
thought  of  purchasing. 

At  the  age  of  nineteen,  in  the  year  1825, 
he  was  married  to  Mary  Pugh,  of  Shelby 
County,  Kentucky,  his  native  county.  Her 
parents  had  come  from  Scotland  and  were 
substantial  citizens. 

Soon  after  their  marriage  they  moved  to 
Parke  County,  Indiana,  and  settled  on  a 
tract  of  land  which  the  Avife  had  received 
as  a  dower  from  her  father. 

Pioneer  life  in  Indiana  need  not  here  be 
enlarged  upon.  A  solitary  dwelling  in  the 
interminable  and  trackless  forest;  the  build- 
ing consisting  of  a  single  room  built  of  un- 
hewn logs,  roofed  with  hand-split  clap- 
boards ;  the  chimney  covering  one  entire  end 
of  the  building;  the  rough  doors  swung  on 
wooden  hinges;  the  small  windows  with 
greased  paper  or  the  tanned  skins  of  ani- 
mals through  which  a  bit  of  daylight  finds 
its  way  with  difticulty;  the  huge  fireplace 
used  for  both  cooking  and  heating  purposes ; 
the  few  pieces  of  handmade  furniture — 
these  were  some  of  the  outward  aspects  of 
domestic  life  out  on  the  ragged  edge  of  civil- 
12 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

ization.  The  cabiu  of  the  Newgents  was  typ- 
ical of  those  of  their  neighbors,  the  nearest 
of  whom  lived  some  fifteen  miles  distant. 
The  larger  wild  animals  were  frequent  vis- 
itors and  the  war  whoop  of  the  Indian  had 
scarcely  died  away. 

After  a  brief  residence  at  this  place  they 
moved  to  Sullivan  County.  Here,  on  Sat- 
urday, September  15,  1838,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  was  born.  He  was  the  youngest 
of  seven  sons.  Subsequenth^  the  family  cir- 
cle was  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  two 
daughters.  The  father's  political  bias  was 
again  asserted  in  the  name,  Andrew  Jack- 
son, assigned  to  this  youngest  son,  after  the 
great  hero  of  early  Democracy.  The  name 
often  has  given  occasion  for  humorous 
touches  by  the  owner,  especially  in  referring 
to  his  early  life.  By  the  neighbors  and 
older  members  of  the  family,  he  says,  he 
was  dubbed  General  Andrew  Jackson. 
Later  tlie  military  title  was  dropped  and  he 
became  plain  Andrew  Jackson,  and  by  suc- 
cessive stages  the  name  was  further  abbrevi- 
ated until  the  boy  was  doomed  to  answer  to 
the  simple  cognomen  of  "Jack."  Whether 
this  was  a  process  of  evolution  or  of  degen- 
eration, he  was  destined  to  win  for  himself 
a  title  tiiat  would  stand  for  real  worth  and 
attainment;  tliat  would  represent  tlie  love 
13 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

of  little  children,  as  well  as  the  esteem  of 
men  and  women,  when  the  affectionate  ap- 
pellation of  "Uncle  Jack"  would  become  a 
household  term  in  multitudes  of  homes. 

Perhaps  it  is  to  the  Scotch  blood  of  his 
mother  that  he  owes  the  more  solid  elements 
of  his  character.  The  Scotch  character 
stands  for  thrift,  ener<iT,  and  inteoritv,  so 
that  wherever  the  hardy  Scotchman  goes  he 
carries  with  him  the  best  elements  of  cit- 
izenship. Tlicse  coml)ined  with  the  quick 
wit  and  genial  temperament  of  the  sons  of 
Erin  produced  in  our  subject  a  personality 
rich  in  depth  and  rescmrcefulness. 

The  emigration  instinct,  always  strong  in 
the  pioneer,  again  became  active,  and  the 
family  set  out  for  a  new  destination.  This 
time  it  was  Paw  Paw  Bend  in  Knox  County, 
Indiana,  so  named  because  of  its  location  in 
a  bend  of  White  River,  and  the  prolific 
growth  of  paw  paw  trees  for  which  the  fer- 
tile lands  were  especially  adapted.  Our  sub- 
ject was  then  about  eighteen  months  old. 
Here  he  S])ent  the  years  of  early  childhood. 
Some  incidents  numbered  among  his  earliest 
recollections  and  which  serve  to  illustrate 
tlie  home  life  and  social  conditions  in  wliicli 
these  years  were  passed,  will  not  be  out  of 
place  in  this  connection. 
14 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

During  this  period  religious  services  were 
practically  unknown  in  Paw  Paw  Bend. 
The  chief  diversions  were  such  social  func- 
tions as  shooting  matches,  wood  clioppings, 
log  rollings,  husking  bees,  and  dances.  The 
spelling  bee  was  still  of  too  intellectual  a 
character  to  win  i)opularity.  At  all  such 
gatherings  the  familiar  demijohn  of  corn 
whiskey  was  considered  an  indispensable 
adjunct. 

Hence,  the  announcement  of  a  preaching 
service  to  be  held  at  the  Newgent  home  on 
a  following  Sunday  morning  was  hailed 
throughout  the  settlement  as  a  new  thing 
under  tlie  sun.  Of  course  everybody  would 
go.  The  preacher  was  to  be  Kev.  Nathan 
Hinkle,  a  Methodist  itinerant.  It  was  out 
of  no  particular  religious  scruples  that  tlie 
host,  Charles  Kewgeut,  volunteered  to  enter- 
tain the  assendilage  on  this  occasion,  yet  he 
had  no  aversion  to  preachers  or  churches, 
and  in  common  with  his  neighbors,  he  was 
always  ready  to  encourage  anything  that 
would  break  the  monotony  and  afford  social 
diversion. 

It  so  happened  that  on  Saturday  evening 
before  tliis  memorable  day,  Pompey  Smash, 
a  negro  fiddler,  was  passing  through  the 
neighborhood  and  asked  to  stay  over  night 
at  Mr.  Newgent's.  He  was  informed  by  the 
15 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

head  of  llie  house  that  he  would  be  furnished 
lodging  on  condition  that  he  dispense  music 
for  a  family  dance.  The  terms  were  ac- 
cepted and  there  was  a  sound  of  revelry  by 
night  as  the  little  company  beat  time  on  the 
puncheon  floor  to  the  droll  tunes  of  their 
musical  guest. 

Early  next  morning  the  congregation  be- 
gan to  assemble  for  worship.  The  presence 
of  the  fiddler  led  to  the  suggestion  that  the 
time  spent  in  waiting  for  the  arrival  of  the 
preacher  be  used  to  the  best  possible  advan- 
tage. Accordingly  the  Ethiopian  turned  his 
fiddle — for  it  was  before  the  violin  was  in- 
vented; the  familiar  demijolm  was  set  in  a 
conspicuous  place,  and  the  gentlemen  chose 
their  partners.  Lest  the  preacher's  sudden 
arrival  in  the  midst  of  such  hilarious  scenes 
be  the  occasion  of  a  shock  or  an  offense  to 
his  ecclesiastical  dignity,  a  member  of  the 
party  was  dispatched  to  do  picket  service. 
The  watchman,  having  imbibed  too  freely  of 
the  contents  of  the  jug,  fell  asleep  at  his 
post.  The  dance  had  gone  on  merrily  for 
some  time  in  its  rapturous  excitement;  the 
preacher  and  church  service  were  utterly 
forgotten.  When,  lo !  the  alarm  was 
sounded.  The  faithless  watchman  had  al- 
lowed the  company  to  be  taken  by  surprise. 
The  approach  of  the  reverend  was  discov- 
16 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

ered  iu  the  nick  of  (iuic;  the  daDce  eaiiie  to 
an  abrupt  stop.  To  prevent  the  minister 
from  ''smelling'  a  rat,"  a  puncheon  was  re- 
moved hastily  from  the  floor,  and  the  tiddler, 
the  fiddle,  and  the  Avhiske^'  jui>'  were  thrust 
unceremoniously  through  the  oi>enin_<;'  into 
the  cellar  excavation  below.  xVnd  the  peo- 
ple put  on  their  Sunday  faces  for  church. 

After  the  services  a  part  of  the  congre- 
gation, including  the  shepherd  of  the  flock, 
remained  for  dinner.  This  necessarily  pro- 
longed the  imprisonment  of  the  negro,  but 
when  it  is  recalled  that  the  whiskey  jug 
was  a  prison  companion,  we  may  surmise 
that  the  hours  were  not  so  "tedious  and 
tasteless"  as  otherwise  they  might  have 
been.  The  solemnities  of  the  day  came  to 
an  end  with  the  departure  of  the  minister ; 
the  prison  was  then  opened  and  the  prisoner 
released.  An  "alter  service"  follow^ed, 
which,  it  may  be  conjectured,  was  more  in 
harmony  with  the  tastes  of  the  congrega- 
tion. 

While  unlimited  resources  lay  at  the  very 
doors  of  these  pioneer  cabins,  the  back- 
vroodsmen  lacked  the  facilites  for  develop- 
ing them.  Their  tastes  were  not  so  exact- 
ing as  in  later  days,  and  beyond  the  sheer 
necessities  and  comforts  of  the  household, 
ambition  did  not  spur  them  on.  While  ordi- 
17 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

narily  the  famih^  dined  on  homely  fare,  the 
industrious  housewife  often  became  so  pro- 
lieient  in  tlie  eiilinary  art  as  to  be  able  to 
concoct  most  tempting  dishes  with  the  raw 
products  that  nature  placed  in  easy  reach. 
Tlie  sap  of  tiu'  maple  tree,  wild  grapes,  paw 
paws,  and  persimmons,  as  well  as  the  prod- 
ucts of  garden,  orcliard,  and  field  were  util- 
ized in  providing  for  tlieir  pliysical  wants. 
Persimmons  ripened  with  the  early  frosts, 
and  when  put  up  in  uiaple  syrup,  became  a 
staple  and  most  delicious  article  of  diet. 
By  the  addition  of  the  proper  quantity  of 
NNlilskey,  the  standard  remedy  for  most  of 
the  ills  the  Uesli  is  heir  to,  the  mixture  af- 
forded in  addition  to  its  other  virtues,  a 
sure  cure  for  ague,  commonly  called  "ager." 
Tliis  led  to  an  episode  in  which  little  Jack 
iuid  tliree  older  brothers  were  the  leading 
figures,  and  wliich  he  facetiously  labeled 
"a  short  cut  in  the  study  of  astronomy." 

The  children  were  left  alone  one  after- 
noon. The  oldest  of  the  quartet  was  famil- 
iar with  the  process  of  preparing  the  com- 
uion  ague  antidote.  Tlie  necessary  ingredi- 
ents were,  as  usual,  within  easy  reach.  So 
he  proceeded  to  administer  the  remedy  to 
his  younger  brothers  on  the  principle  that 
"if  a  little  did  good,  more  v/ould  do  better." 
The  bearing  of  this  procedure  upon  the 
18 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

science  of  astronomy  becomes  ai)])arent 
^\•lleu  we  remember  tliat  amoii";-  tlie  un- 
schooled of  that  day  it  was  a  mooted  ques- 
tion as  to  whether  ot  not  the  world  is  round 
and  revoh'es  u^ion  its  axis,  as  the  geoiira- 
phies  teach.  Jack  declared  that  after  tak- 
ing- a  few  doses  it  was  painfully  evident  to 
him  that  the  world  did  turn  round  and 
turned  at  such  a  rapid  rate  that  he  found  it 
diflicult  to  keep  from  falling  off.  When  the 
mother  returned  she  found  the  three 
younger  boys  lying  on  the  floor  unconscious, 
and  the  author  of  the  mischief  sitting 
astride  a  joist  overhead  the  unceiled  room 
in  a  hilarious  condition.  By  the  free  use 
of  sweet  milk  the  younger  boys  were  re- 
stored to  consciousness,  but  a  special  treat- 
ment was  reserved  for  the  one  who  led 
them  into  temptation.  However,  Jack 
found  this  short  course  in  astronomy  suf- 
ficient for  all  practical  purposes,  and  he  has 
never  had  the  occasion  or  inclination  to 
extend  it. 

His  early  ye-ars  were  as  happj'  and  free 
from  care  amid  these  primitive  surround- 
ings, as  childhood  life  could  well  be,  even 
in  what  might  be  considered  more  favorable 
circumstances.  Life  was  simple  in  the  ex- 
treme, even  crude,  but  it  was  the  best  he 
knew.  There  was  nothing  in  the  lives  of 
19 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

his  associates  calcidated  to  excite  euvy  or 
cause  discontent  with  his  own  lot.  But  in 
this  connection  one  incident  stands  out  in 
bohl  relief  to  mar  llie  ]ticlui'e  of  boyish  con- 
tentment. 

A  sins»le  garnient  of  homespun,  o-r  "tow 
linen,''  was  all  that  was  considered  neces- 
sary in  the  way  of  clothing-  under  ordinary 
circumstances  for  a  boy  of  that  age.  It 
marked  a  new  era  in  his  life  when  the  loose 
uarment  which  covered  the  anatomy  down 
to  the  knees  was  supplemented  by  a  pair  of 
breeches  of  the  same  material.  Upon  one 
occasion  as  Jack  stood  watchino-  his  mother 
a,a  she  was  measurinii-  the  material  for  the 
older  boys'  wintei'  suits,  he  heard  her  re- 
nmrk  that  there  would  i)rob;il)ly  be  en(mr»h 
scraps  left  over  to  make  him  a  pair  of 
breeches.  AVith  emotions  alternatinu'  be- 
tween hope  and  fear,  he  waited  impatiently 
for  the  outcome.  His  joy  was  unbounded 
when  he  found  that  his  hopes  were  to  be 
realized.  His  mother  laid  him  on  the 
floor  and  thus  marked  the  pattern.  It 
was  seen  that  the  closest  economy  had 
to  be  used  to  nmke  the  o-oods  hold  out; 
so  instead  of  the  rejiulation  number  of 
two  suspenders  which  were  one  piece  with 
the  breeches,  the  material  would  only  war- 
rant the  making  of  one.  By  extending  it 
20 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

hxnn  oue  side  on  tlio  back  diagonally  across 
the  shoulder,  making  connection  on  the  op- 
posite side  in  front,  the  new  habiliment 
maintained  its  balance  and  no  special  incon- 
venience was  snlTered. 

But  alas!  his  rejoicing  was  soon  to  be 
turned  into  mourning.  A  few  days  later, 
clad  in  his  new  outfit,  he  went  with  his 
brothers  to  the  woods  to  gather  pecans.  It 
was  a  warm  autumn  afternoon,  and  in 
climbing  and  clubbing  the  trees  and  picking 
up  the  nuts,  the  boys  found  it  convenient  to 
cast  of  unnecessary  articles  of  clothing. 
As  Jack  had  scarcely  become  accustomed  to 
more  than  one  garment,  he  could  easily  dis- 
pense with  the  breeches  for  the  time.  Ac- 
cordingly they  were  removed  and  hung  on 
a  bush  near  by,  and  for  a  time  forgotten  in 
the  fascination  of  nut  hunting.  When  the 
party  was  ready  to  start  home  with  the 
fruits  of  their  toil,  he  was  alarmed  to  find 
that  his  cherished  breeches  had  disappeared. 
The  boys  searched  diligently  but  found 
them  not.  When  about  ready  to  give  up 
in  despair,  they  chanced  to  observe,  a  short 
distance  away,  a  mellow-eyed,  crinkly- 
horned,  brindle  cow  making  a  meal  off  the 
lad's  wearing  apparel,  or  perhaps  using  it 
for  dessert,  as  though  it  were  a  dainty  mor- 
sel.   And  the  last  Jack  saw  of  his  first  pair 

21 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  JacK 

of  breeches  was  the  lone  suspender  dangling 
from  the  innocent  old  brindle's  mouth,  the 
major  part  of  them  having  been  engulfed  in 
her  capacious  maw.  And  to  the  sorrow  of 
his  heart,  his  wardrobe  for  another  year 
was  limited  to  (he  single  piece  of  homespun. 


22 


Chapter  Two. 

The  Tragic  Death  of  the  Father — Revioval  to  Parke 
County  —  School  Days  —  Conversion  —  Change  of 
Church  Relationship — A  Remarkable  Providence. 

Thus  far  onr  narrative  has  covered  the 
childhood  of  our  subject  up  to  the  ninth 
year  of  his  a.i;e.  At  this  juncture  occurred 
an  event  that  cast  the  first  real  shadow  over 
his  youthful  pathway.  It  was  the  death  of 
his  father,  the  tra,2,ic  nature  of  which  and 
the  subsequent  effect  it  was  to  have  upon 
his  career,  made  the  shadow  all  the  deeper 
and  more  significant.  Charles  Newgent 
went  with  a  company  consisting  of  sixty 
adventurous  spirits,  upon  an  expedition  to 
the  West,  tlie  real  object  of  which  seems  to 
be  somewhat  indefinite.  The  restless  and 
venturesome  spirit  of  the  pioneer,  a  curious 
desire  to  penetrate  the  mysteries  of  the 
great  western  world,  the  dream  of  untold 
treasures  that  nature  had  in  store  for  tliose 
who  dared  to  conquer  the  dragons  that 
guarded  them — all  may  have  figured  in 
this  ill-fated  enterprise.  However  that  may 
have  been,  while  crossing  the  western  plains 
the  company  was  attacked  and  massacred 
by  a  band  of  hostile  Indians.  As  in  the 
calamities  that  befell  Job's  household,  one 
23 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

of  the  number  was  left  to  tell  the  story. 
This  one  was  supposed  by  tlie  savaii;es  to 
have  shared  the  fate  of  all  the  rest,  beinpj 
left  on  the  field  for  dead;  but  it  so  hap- 
pened that  in  his  case  the  weapon  of  death 
did  not  do  complete  work.  He  was  picked 
u])  the  next  day  by  a  party  of  liunters  to 
whom  he  was  able  to  .tiive  a  vaii'ue  account 
of  the  preceding-  day's  terrible  tragedy. 

After  the  father's  death,  the  mother  with 
her  nine  children  moved  back  to  their 
former  home  in  Parke  County.  Life  then 
took  on  a  sterner  aspect  for  the  boy.  His 
tender  hands  must  perform  their  part  in 
the  maiutainauce  of  the  family.  Accord- 
ingly he  hired  out  to  ^Ii".  Jesse  ^Maddox,  a 
neighboring  farmer.  His  wages  the  first 
year  were  to  be  a  pair  of  shoes,  ion  bushels 
of  corn,  and  the  privilege  of  attending  the 
district  school.  The  market  price  of  corn 
was  ten  cents  per  bushel.  Even  at  this  mod- 
est stipend  he  admits  that  he  made  money, 
"though  not  very  much."  While  in  after 
years  of  fruitful  labors  iu  the  ministry  he 
often  remarked  that  the  question  that  most 
perplexed  him  was  how  to  earn  what  he  re- 
ceived, it  is  not  probable  that  the  question 
at  this  time  had  assumed  very  serious  pro- 
portions. 

24 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

The  most  important  stipulation  in  the 
contract  was  the  privilege  of  attending 
school.  But  even  this  is  subject  to  shrink- 
age when  we  recall  that  the  school  system 
of  Indiana  was  then  in  its  first  stage  of 
development.  It  afforded  no  royal  path 
to  learning,  and  the  common  thoroughfare 
was  neither  smooth  nor  flowery,  ^^'e  would 
scarcely  expect  to  find  in  the  schoolroom 
comforts  that  the  home  itself  was  a  stranger 
to.  Strikingly  suggestive  of  the  interior  as- 
pect of  those  primitive  seats  of  learning  are 
the  lines  from  Wliittier's  "In  School  Days"  : 

''Within,  the  master's  desk  is  seen, 
Deep  scarred  by  raps  official; 
The  battered  seats,  the  warping  floor, 
The  jack  knife's  carved  initial. 

"The  charcoal  frescoes  on  the  wall, 
The  door's  worn  sill  betraying 
The  feet  that  creeping  late  to  school. 
Went  storming  out  to  playing." 

To  fit  the  particular  building  in  which 
our  subject  first  tasted  the  fruit  of  the  tree 
of  knowledge,  the  picture  needs  but  slight 
modification.  If  anything,  it  should  be 
made  even  more  simple  and  primitive.  The 
"battered"  seats  were  made  of  puncheon. 
Since  this  word  is  passing  from  common 
25 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

usage,  it  may  be  well  to  explain  that  pun- 
cheon is  made  by  splitting  a  small  log  in 
two  equal  parts.  The  split  edges  are  then 
trimmed  down,  and  the  pieces  thus  treated 
served  as  a  rough  substitute  for  sawed  lum- 
ber. To  make  them  into  seats,  two  holes 
were  bored  near  each  end  in  the  unhewn 
side.  These  being  at  proper  angles,  wooden 
pins  were  inserted  into  them  for  legs.  The 
rude  seat  Avas  then  ready  for  service.  It  is 
not  to  be  taken  for  granted  that  these  seats 
were  always  made  perfectly  smooth.  What 
was  lacking  to  smooth  them  down  by  the 
workmen  was  expected  to  be  completed  by 
the  pupils.  They  finished  the  task,  but  often 
it  was  a  long  and  painful  process,  with 
many  a  protest  from  a  new  gown  of  home- 
spun or  a  pair  of  "tow-linen,"  home-grown 
breeches.  Thus,  with  no  rest  for  the  arms 
or  the  back,  with  one  side  scorched  by  the 
heat  from  the  great  fireplace  and  the  other 
chilled  by  the  winter  winds  creeping  through 
cracks  in  floor  and  walls  and  roof,  the 
children  wore  away  tlie  dreary  hours.  The 
floor,  being  composed  of  this  same  puncheon, 
did  not  easily  warp.  The  recess  recreation 
consisted  mainly  in  carrying  fuel  from  the 
surrounding  forest  to  feed  the  evei*3^-hungTy 
fireplace. 

26 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

Whatever  dignity  the  schoolmaster  may 
have  possessed  in  the  eyes  of  his  pupils,  cer- 
tain it  is  he  was  not  the  orig-inal  of  Gold- 
smith's creation  in  the  "Deserted  Village," 
of  wlioni  the  wonder  was  "that  one  small 
head  eonld  carry  all  he  knew."  Beyond  the 
traditional  essentials  of  scholarship,  con- 
sisting of  reading,  writing,  and  ciphering, 
with  a  specially  intimate  ac(iuaintance  with 
the  spelling  book,  he  did  not  pretend  to 
lead.  His  chief  business  was  to  govern  the 
school.  lie  proved  his  divine  right  to  his 
throne  in  the  schoolroom  by  his  ability  to 
handle  the  most  obstreperous  cases  the  dis- 
trict could  produce.  The  scholars  were  on 
hand  as  a  challenge  to  his  generalship.  The 
hero  of  the  school  was  the  one  who  held  out 
longest  against  his  despotic  authority.  To 
lick  the  teacher  was  the  height  of  his  ambi- 
tion. This  realized,  his  place  in  the  local 
hall  of  fame  was  secure.  According  to  the 
philosophy  of  the  times  "lickin'  and  larn- 
in'  "  went  hand  in  hand,  lickin'  being  es- 
sential, while  larnin'  was  incidental. 

The  school  house  was  three  miles  from 
the  Maddox  home.  The  school  was  main- 
tained on  the  basis  that  "whosoever  will 
may  come."  There  was  no  penalty  for 
tardiness  or  absence,  but  as  3'oung  Newgent 
possessed  a  real  thirst  for  knowledge  and 
21 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  JacK 

was  in  the  habit  of  making  the  most  of 
whatever  he  undertook,  his  attendance  was 
more  regular  tlian  the  average.  However, 
the  sum  total  of  liis  schooling  was  limited  to 
three  terms  of  about  three  montiis  each,  an 
aggregate  of  nine  months.  JNIeager  as  were 
his  school  advantages,  they  were  well  im- 
proved and  furnished  a  foundation  for  self- 
culture  upon  which  he  built  as  only  a  genius 
can.  He  learned  to  read  in  less  than  four 
weeks,  and  his  progress  was  correspondingly 
rapid  throughout.  His  real  school  was  not 
bounded  by  the  walls  of  the  log  school 
house;  it  was  rather  the  great  school  of  life 
with  its  harsh  discipline  and  inexhaustible 
curriculum;  and  in  this  he  grew  to  be  the 
peer  of  the  ripest  products  of  educational 
institutions.  "Opportunities,"  he  says,  in 
his  characteristic  way,  "the  woods  has  al- 
ways been  full  of  opportunities.  I  had 
splendid  opportunities  when  I  was  a  boy, 
and  so  did  my  companions;  but  many  of 
them,  like  some  young  folks  now,  failed  to 
see  them."  He  saw  what  many  fail  to  see, 
that  opportunities  are  not  so  much  in  our 
environment  as  in  ourselves,  and  that  suc- 
cess is  not  determined  by  outwai'd  circum- 
stances, but  by  one's  own  will  and  energy. 

A  habit  early  formed  was  that  of  turniu^T 
everything  to  account   in   the   pursuit   of 

28 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

knowled<;e.  ^Irs.  Newji-ent,  anxious  to  en- 
courage her  children's  propensities  for 
study,  furnished  the  home  with  such  read- 
ing matter  as  her  means  Avould  permit. 
Though  the  family  were  separated  most  of 
the  time,  they  came  together  at  frequent  in- 
tervals. On  these  occasions  the  time  was 
vrell  spent  in  reading  and  in  discussing  cur- 
rent topics.  Whatever  was  read  became  the 
subject  of  conversation.  These  conversa- 
tions often  took  the  form  of  argument,  in 
Avhich  the  various  sides  of  a  subject  were 
presented  and  zealously  defended.  Thus, 
he  early  displayed  and  developed  an  apti- 
tude for  argumentative  discussion,  which 
made  him  a  master  in  debate,  and  is  a 
strong  element  in  all  his  public  discourses. 

His  conversion  occurred  when  he  was 
about  ten  years  old,  while  still  in  the  serv- 
ice of  Mr.  Maddox,  a.benefit  which  was  not  con- 
sidei'ed  in  the  contract  with  his  employer. 
This  took  place  during  a  gracious  revival 
at  the  Canaan  Methodist  church,  of  which 
his  employer  was  a  member  and  was  serving 
at  the  time  as  class  leader  and  janitor.  The 
meeting  had  been  in  progress  for  a  number 
of  days;  many  had  found  the  Savior,  and 
the  community  was  deeply  stirred.  He  had 
been  sent  to  open  the  church  and  build  the 
fire  for  the  evening  service.  While  going 
29 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

quietly  about  his  duties,  all  alone,  the  im- 
pression came  to  him  quite  vividly  that  he 
ought  to  be  a  Christian,  and  he  resolved  to 
go  to  the  "mourner's  bench"  that  night.  He 
was  never  long  in  nmking  up  his  mind, 
and  when  a  decision  was  once  made,  it  was 
as  a  law  of  the  Medes  and  Persians.  So  he 
went  to  the  altar  that  night  and  each  suc- 
ceeding night  for  more  than  a  week.  One 
evening  as  he  was  listening  to  the  sermon, 
conviction  became  so  intense  that  in  his  ex- 
tremity he  left  the  house.  Though  it  was  a 
cold  night  and  the  ground  was  covered  with 
snow,  he  stole  out  in  the  woods.  Kneeling 
in  the  snow,  this  youthful  Jacob  wrestled 
with  God  in  prayer.  How  long  he  tarried, 
he  could  not  tell,  but  faith  triumphed,  and 
the  next  he  knew  the  woods  were  resound- 
ing with  his  shouts  of  victory.  Rushing 
into  the  church  v\'hile  the  preacher  was  yet 
talking,  he  put  au  end  to  the  sermon  by  his 
shouting  and  praising  God.  The  congrega- 
tion was  electrified.  Soon  the  demonstra- 
tion became  general,  and  for  a  time  pande- 
monium held  sway;  but  it  was  of  a  sort  in 
which  there  were  both  method  and  meaning, 
for  its  source  was  from  above. 

Like  God's  servant  of  old,  he  could  say, 
"My  heart  is  fixed."     He  joined  the  church 
and  from  that  time  never  missed  an  oppor- 
30 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

tunity  to  pray  and  testify  in  public  or  pri- 
vate. At  that  time  children  did  not  receive 
much  attention  from  the  church.  Churches 
were  strong  on  saving  souls  from  dam- 
nation, but  the  idea  of  saving  the  entire 
life  for  service  had  not  taken  deep  root. 
As  a  result  of  the  revival  there  was  a  large 
class  of  "probationers."  When  the  jKnnod 
of  probation  liad  expired,  according  to  the 
church  law,  and  they  were  to  be  admitted 
into  full  membershi]),  his  name  was  not  on 
the  list.  He  Avas  not  considered  a  member ; 
at  least  that  was  his  version  of  it,  and  the 
only  logical  conclusion  the  case  would  war- 
rant. It  was  a  sore  disappointment,  but  of 
too  delicate  a  nature  to  mention  to  his 
elders.    So  he  kept  his  feelings  to  himself. 

Thus  matters  stood  for  little  more  than  a 
year,  when  he  learned  that  there  was  to  be 
a  quarterly  meeting  at  the  Otterbein  United 
Brethren  Church  a  few  miles  away.  This 
church  belonged  to  the  Kockville  Circuit  of 
the  Wabash  Conference.  Tlev.  William 
Sherrill  Avas  the  pastor.  The  presiding 
elder,  who  was  to  hold  the  quarterly  con- 
ference, was  Rev.  Samuel  Zuck.  Both  were 
strong  and  good  men.  Jack  had  never  at- 
tended a  United  Brethren  service.  What 
knowledge  he  had  of  the  Church  was  gained 
through  conversations  overheard  in  the 
31 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  JacK 

Maddox  homo.  Ministers  being  frequently 
entertained  there,  conversation  at  such 
times  naturally  took  to  religious  channels. 
As  this  was  an  age  when  churches  did  not 
entertain  the  most  fraternal  feelings  toAvard 
one  another,  these  conversations  Avere  not 
calculated,  as  a  rule,  to  produce  a  favorable 
opinion  of  a  rival  denomination.  His  inter- 
est in  churches  and  religion  was  genuine, 
born  of  a  desire  to  know  the  truth.  Hence, 
is  was  not  mere  curiosit}^  that  led  him  to 
obtain  his  employer's  permission  to  spend 
Saturday  and  Sunday  with  a  neighbor  in 
the  Otterbein  community  so  that  he  might 
attend  the  services  of  the  quarterly  meeting. 
The  Church  proved  to  be  his  affinity. 
Whatever  misgivings  he  had,  vanished  one 
by  one.  The  general  atmosphere  of  the 
first  service  harmonized  with  his  tempera- 
ment. There  was  spirit  in  the  singing.  His 
heart  burned  within  him  as  he  listened  to 
the  eloquent  sermon  by  the  presiding  elder; 
and  when  the  pastor  followed,  as  the  custom 
was,  with  a  warm  exhortation,  he  was  en- 
raptured. He  resolved  to  join  the  Church. 
As  usual,  the  decision  was  made  without 
much  preliminary.  He  knew  where  he 
stood,  and  stood  there  with  both  feet.  When 
he  returned,  his  employer,  as  well  as  his 
on-n  folks,  was  thunderstruck  to  learn  that 

32 


REV.   ANDREW  JACKSON  NEVVCENT 
When  he  traveled  his  first  circuit. 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  JacK 

he  had  become  a  fiilMIediicd  United  Breth- 
ren. Havino-  put  his  hand  to  the  ph>w,  he 
never  turned  back.  "I  have  been  so  busy," 
is  a  common  sayin<>'  with  him,  "tiiat  I  have 
never  liad  time  to  backslide.'" 

It  should  be  said  in  justice  to  the  church 
where  he  first  joined,  that  his  name  had 
been  entered  upon  the  book,  but  by  mistake 
it  was  placed  in  the  list  with  the  full  mem- 
bers. This  accounts  for  his  not  beino-  re- 
ceived with  the  probationers,  to  which  class 
he  belonged,  and  led  to  the  conclusion  that 
he  was  not  considered  a  member.  Thus  an 
apparently  insignificant  thing  may  prove  to 
be  a  matter  of  vital  importance. 

As  a  boy  he  possessed  pronounced  convic- 
tions and  a  keen  sense  of  religious  obliga- 
tion. This  is  demonstrated  by  an  incident 
which  occurred  while  he  was  in  the  employ 
of  Mr.  Jerry  Rush,  a  short  time  after  leav- 
ing the  service  of  ^^Ir.  :\raddox.  Mr.  Rush 
was  a  well-to-do  farmer  and  stock  dealer. 
Neither  he  nor  his  wife  made  any  profes- 
sion of  religion,  though  their  lives  were  re- 
garded as  exemplary  and  above  question  in 
other  respects.  Some  of  the  men  who 
worked  on  the  farm,  however,  were  of  the 
baser  sort.  It  seemed  strange  to  young 
Newgent  that  a  man  of  Mr.  Rush's  habits 
would  surround  himself  with  men  who  were 

33 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  JacK 

utterly  destitute  of  moral  scruples  or  of  the 
commonest  decencies.  To  him  their  vulgar- 
ity and  profanity  were  a  source  of  constant 
annoyance.  At  one  time  as  their  coarse 
jests  were  gratin<>-  on  his  sensitive  ears,  he 
was  impressed  with  the  idea  that  this  un- 
couth crowd  afforded  him  a  field  for  mis- 
sionary work.  The  impression  was  not  long 
in  taking  definite  shape.  It  came  with  the 
force  of  a  challenge,  a  bugle  call  to  duty, 
a  call  that  he  never  failed  to  heed.  His 
mind  was  made  up  that  he  would  offer 
prayer  with  these  men  before  they  retired 
that  evening  if  Mr.  Rush  would  grant  him 
the  privilege. 

It  was  a  bold  resolve,  an  ordeal  from 
which  a  braver  heart  might  well  have 
shrunk.  Let  eloquent  tongues  proclaim  the 
praise  of  those  who  face  death  at  the  can- 
non's mouth,  or  the  inspired  pen  immortal- 
ize the  hero,  who,  amid  the  applause  of 
admiring  multitudes,  imperils  his  own  life 
to  save  another;  but  who  would  not  count 
it  a  worthy  act  to  place  a  laurel  wreath 
upon  the  brow  of  a  fourteen-year-old  lad 
who  dared  to  face,  not  one  Goliath,  but  a 
company  of  Goliaths,  with  the  simple 
weapon  of  faith,  and  demand  that  they  bow 
before  their  God  while  he  offered  a.  petition 
in  behalf  of  their  needy  souls?  Yet  this 
34 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

resolute  purpose  was  to  undergo  a  severe 
test.  The  fiercest  battles  are  fought  in  our 
own  hearts.  As  the  time  drew  near,  he  felt 
his  courage  slipping  away.  He  stole  out  to 
the  barn  for  a  time  of  secret  prayer,  that  he 
might  be  equal  to  the  emergency.  Feeling 
comforted  and  strengthened,  he  started  to 
the  house  to  execute  his  plan.  On  reaching 
the  yard  gate  his  courage  seemed  to  take 
flight,  and  he  could  go  no  farther.  He  went 
back  to  the  place  of  prayer.  On  the  second 
venture  he  got  as  far  as  the  door,  when  his 
strength  again  vanished.  Not  to  be  beaten, 
he  went  back  to  the  barn  to  fight  the  battle 
to  a  finish.  The  third  effort  won  the  day. 
He  hastened  to  the  house,  determined  not  to 
give  the  enemy  a  chance.  The  men  were  sit- 
ting about  the  fire.  Without  a  word  by 
wa,y  of  preliminary,  he  stepped  up  to  Mr. 
Rush  and  asked  permission  to  kneel  with 
them  in  prayer.  The  permission  was 
granted,  and  a  solemn  hush  came  over  the 
startled  company  as  they  listened  while 
the  boy,  with  trembling  voice  and  stammer- 
ing accents,  poured  out  his  soul  to  God.  He 
then  sought  his  bed  with  the  consciousness 
that  he  had  done  his  duty.  A  sweet  peace 
filled  his  soul  and  he  lay  for  hours  in 
ecstacy  of  joy. 

35 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jacic 

The  next  evening  the  famih^  devotions 
were  repeated.  But  on  the  third  evening 
the  prayer  was  forestalled  by  a  preconcerted 
plan  on  the  part  of  the  men.  As  the  time 
for  prayer  approached,  one  after  another,  they 
arose  and  stalked  out  of  the  room,  and  the 
victor  in  two  hard-fought  battles  was  left 
alone — defeated  and  dejected.  His  spirits 
dropped  down  to  zero.  The  fiery  dart  had 
pierced  him  through  and  through.  In  agony 
of  soul  he  sought  his  bed,  but  not  to  rest. 
Out  of  the  depth  of  his  troubled  heart  he 
called  upon  God  for  comfort.  But  the  fury 
of  the  storm  seemed  onh'  to  increase.  In 
his  desperation  he  felt  that  something  must 
be  done.  So,  about  the  hour  of  midnight, 
he  arose,  dressed  himself,  and  left  the  house 
to  go — he  knew  not  where.  Through  the 
remaining  hours  of  the  night  he  wandered, 
directing  his  course  toward  the  West.  Day- 
light came,  the  sun  rose  above  tlie  horizon 
and  pursued  its  course  toward  the  zenith, 
but  Ills  pilgrimage  continued.  At  noon  he 
found  himself  in  the  city  of  Terre  Haute, 
then  a  mere  village.  Here  he  tarried  for  a 
time  to  seek  employment.  Failing  in  this, 
he  resumed  his  westward  journey.  He  asked 
for  work  at  the  various  farm  houses  which 
he  passed.  While  he  found  kind  hearts  who, 
touched  by  pity  for  the  youthful  pilgrim, 
36 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  JacK 

o^ave  him  food  and  temporary  shelter,  he 
found  no  man  to  hire  him  until  he  reached 
Mattoon,  Illinois,  nearly  a  hundred  miles 
from  whence  he  started.  Work  at  that  sea- 
son of  the  year  was  scarce,  and  his  term 
of  service  at  Mattoon  was  brief.  At  the  end 
of  three  days  his  employer  gave  him  his 
wages  with  the  intelligence  that  his  services 
were  no  longer  needed. 

He  now  decided  to  go  back  to  Indiana. 
With  his  three  days'  wages  in  his  pocket, 
with  which  he  expected  to  pay  for  his  trans- 
portation at  least  part  of  the  way,  he  set 
out  upon  the  return  journey.  Within  the 
vicinity  of  Terre  Haute  he  succeeded  in  find- 
ing steady  employment  and  a  congenial 
home. 

There  were  two. sides  to  this  story,  and 
some  months  after  Jack  was  settled  in  his 
new  home  he  learned  the  other  side.  It  was 
glorious  news  to  him.  The  sequel  was  that 
Mr.  Rush  was  converted,  joined  the  Bap- 
tist Church,  and  became  a  zealous  leader  in 
religious  work.  It  came  about  in  this  way : 
When  Mr.  Rush  found  that  Jack  had  disap- 
peared and  diligent  effort  failed  to  solve  the 
mystery  of  his  disappearance,  a  feeling  of 
remorse  over  his  unchristian  conduct  so 
possessed  him  that  for  days  he  was  almost 
in  a  state  of  frenzy.  Remorse  took  the  form 
37 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

of  spiritual  conviction  and  genuine  repent- 
ance which  led  to  a  glorious  conversion. 

On  learning  of  the  whereabouts  of  his 
young  benefactor,  Mr.  Rush  at  once  went 
to  see  him,  and  told  him  his  side  of  the  story. 
He  confessed  to  Jack  that  he  was  a  guilty 
party  to  the  scheme  the  men  had  used  to 
defeat  him.  The  boy's  awkward  prayer  to- 
gether with  their  own  antipathy  for  such 
pious  exercises  was  a  source  of  embarrass- 
ment to  the  men,  and  they  agreed  among 
themselves  to  use  the  method  described  to 
rid  themselves  of  further  annoyance.  Lit- 
tle did  Mr.  Rush  realize  that  those  awkward 
prayers  were  to  be  the  means  of  his  salva- 
tion. 

"God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way, 
His  wonders  to  perform, 
He  plants  his  footsteps  on  the  sea, 
He  rides  upon  the  storm. 

"Judge  not  the  Lord  with  feeble  sense, 
But  trust  him  for  his  grace, 
Behind  a  frowning  providence 
He  hides  a  smiling  face." 


38 


Chapter  Three. 

Call  to  the  Ministry  —  First  Sermon  —  The  Boy 
Preacher — Ansioering  a  Fool  After  his  Folly 
— Turning  a  Camp  Meeting  Tide  —  Quieting  a 
Skirmish — Takes  a  Wife. 

Providence  seemed  to  ordain  that  there 
shonhl  be  one  preacher  in  tlie  Newcjent  fam- 
ily and  that  that  one  should  be  Jack.  As 
has  been  observed,  his  religious  zeal  from 
the  time  of  his  conversion  at  the  age  of  ten, 
was  exceptional.  Just  when  the  first  im- 
pression looking  toward  the  ministry  came 
to  him  he  conld  scarcely  tell,  such  impres- 
sions having  been  associated  more  or  less 
with  his  religious  experience  from  the  be- 
jrinninjr.  Bv  the  time  he  was  thirteen  the 
conviction  that  he  had  a  "divine  call"  to 
preach  the  gospel  became  clear  and  definite. 
And  the  conviction  deepened  with  the  pass- 
ing of  time.  Of  course,  no  one  dreamed  of 
the  emotions  that  were  stirring  the  boy's 
breast,  and  to  him  the  ministry  was  so  high 
and  sacred  a  calling  as  to  seem  infinitely 
beyond  his  possibilities.  Hence,  he  dared 
not  express  his  feelings  to  even  his  most 
intimate  friends,  and  so  received  no  sympa- 
thy or  enconragement  from  any  human 
source.  Ue  went  about  his  Father's  busi- 
39 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

ness  in  his  owd  way,  rendering  sucli  serv- 
ice to  the  cause  of  his  Master  as  a  boy  of  his 
years  -svas  capable  of.  Plis  zeal  knew  no 
abatement,  and  such  diligence  is  sure  to  lead 
to  recognition  and  reward. 

The  minister  wlio  first  took  a  special  in- 
terest in  liim  was  Eev.  Ira  Mater,  an  able 
preacher  and  a  sympathetic  discerner  of  the 
thonghts  and  intents  of  the  heart.  Be- 
tween the  man  and  the  lad  there  sprang  np 
a  beautiful  friendship,  suggestive  of  that  be- 
tween Paul  and  Timothy.  Rev.  ^Nlr.  :Mater 
frequently  invited  his  young  friend  to  ac- 
company him  to  his  appointments,  and  by 
way  of  stirring  up  the  gift  that  Avas  in  this 
prospective  Timothy,  sometimes  called  upon 
him  to  open  the  service,  to  exhort  after 
the  sermon,  or  perform  such  other  pub- 
lic ministrations  as  were  convenient.  Rev. 
;Mr.  Newgent  has  always  gratefully  ac- 
knowledged his  indebtedness  to  this  spirit- 
ual father. 

This  association  with  Rev.  Mr.  Mater  was 
during  his  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  years. 
He  was  small  and  rather  delicate  for  one  of 
his  age.  His  entire  youth  was  a  continual 
conflict  with  disease,  the  entire  category  of 
which  seemed  to  try  tlieir  hand  upon  his 
slender  frame.  But  while  his  body  was 
frail,  his  mind  was  strong  and  alert.  That 
40 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

his  positive  temperament  and  seeming  dis- 
position to  never  give  up  had  somewhat  to 
do  in  staving  off  the  grim  monster,  death,  is 
not  at  all  unlikely. 

His  first  regular  discourse  was  preached 
at  the  Stedd  School  House  near  Fontanet, 
in  Clay  County,  Indiana.  The  school  house 
was  used  as  a  preaching  point  and  weekly 
prayer  meetings  were  maintained.  He  was 
a  frequent  attendant  at  these  services,  and 
one  evening,  on  entering  the  house,  he  was 
met  by  the  leader  who  said,  "Jack,  the  peo- 
ple are  expecting  you  to  preach  to-night." 
That  he  was  to  preach  was  simply  a  sur- 
mise, his  association  with  Kev.  Mr.  Mater 
being  the  probable  foundation  of  it.  But 
some  one  surmised  out  loud  and  the  rumor 
gained  currency.  Observing  his  surprise  at 
this  intelligence,  the  leader  continued,  "You 
had  just  as  well  begin  here  and  now,"  in  a 
manner  that  indicated  that  it  was  a  fore- 
gone conclusion  that  preaching  was  to  be 
his  life  business.  And  Jack  preached.  At 
any  rate,  if  the  effort  could  not  be  classed  as 
preaching,  it  was  a  splendid  substitute  for 
it.  He  announced  as  a  text,  "If  the  right- 
eous scarcely  be  saved,  where  shall  the  un- 
godly and  the  sinner  appear?"  The  congre- 
gation was  visibly  affected  by  his  fervor 
and  earnestness,  some  of  the  more  demon- 
41 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

strative  ones  .c;ivin<'-  vent  to  their  feelings 
in  shouts  of  praise.  He  was  urged  to  preach 
the  next  night,  and  the  meetings  were  con- 
tinued for  more  than  a  week,  heing  held  at 
various  private  homes,  Newgent  preacliing 
at  each  service.  The  divine  seal  was  thus 
placed  upon  his  ministry,  and  the  meeting 
marked  the  beginning  of  a  new  epoch  in  his 
career. 

A  few  weeks  later  the  Kockville  quarterly 
conference  granted  him  a  license  to  preach. 
The  action  was  taken  in  his  absence.  J.  P. 
White  was  the  preacher  in  charge  and 
Thomas  M.  Hamilton  was  the  presiding 
elder.  The  action  of  the  quarterly  confer- 
ence was  almost  a  superfluous  formality, 
as  he  was  now  so  greatly  in  demand  that 
he  could  not  well  avoid  preaching. 

The  boy  preacher  was  a  popular  charac- 
ter. To  see  a  man  on  the  ante  meridian  of 
life  in  the  pulpit  was  at  that  time  quite 
unusual.  The  popular  prejudice  was  in 
favor  of  men  who  had  spent  the  major  part 
of  their  lives  on  the  farm  or  in  business,  thus 
acquiring  a  competence  that  would  en- 
able them  to  proclaim  that  salvation  is  free 
without  being  embarrassed  or  embarrassing 
their  congregations  on  the  money  question. 
Hence,  a  diminutive  lad  of  seventeen,  weigh- 
ing only  about  eighty  pounds,  exercising  the 
42 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

ministerial  fniiction  was  in  itself  sufficient 
to  attract  the  multitudes.  Wherever  he 
preached  he  was  greeted  by  immense  audi- 
ences. By  many  he  was  regarded  as  a 
prodigy,  though  he  could  not  be  classed  as 
such,  prodigies  seldom  accomplishing  more 
than  to  afford  amusement  for  curious  spec- 
tators. It  is  true,  however,  that  he  dis- 
played qualities  unusual  for  one  of  his 
years,  though  it  must  be  admitted  that  the 
greater  part  of  his  power  lay  in  his  intense 
religious  zeal  and  earnestness. 

Some  characteristic  incidents  in  this 
part  of  his  ministry  will  not  only  be  of  in- 
terest in  themselves,  but  will  at  the  same 
time  serve  to  illustrate  his  unique  individ- 
uality. He  went  on  one  occasion  to  fill  an 
appointment  at  what  was  known  as  the 
Rough  and  Ready  School  House.  The  name 
was  justified  by  the  prevailing  social  con- 
ditions. Like  Paul  on  INIars  Hill,  he  found 
that  at  least  some  of  the  people  were  very 
religious,  though  their  religious  energy  was 
not  always  directed  to  the  best  advantage. 
Not  infrequently  does  it  transpire  that  men 
will  fight  for  their  religion  even  when  they 
are  utterly  averse  to  the  practice  of  it,  a 
fact  which  had  a  forcible  illustration  in  this 
particular  service.  He  preached  with  his 
usual  energy.  The  house  was  crowded  and 
43 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

the  sermon  seemed  to  be  well  received.  There 
happened  to  be  present  a  minister  of  what 
was  designated  as  the  Campbell! te  persua- 
sion. Evidently  the  sermon  did  not  coin- 
cide with  his  theoloo-ical  bias.  He  asked 
permission  to  say  a  few  words  as  the 
speaker  took  his  seat.  The  permission 
granted,  he  sallied  forth  with  a  tirade  of 
abuse  and  denunciation  of  the  young 
preacher  and  his  theology  in  which  his  pas- 
sion played  a  larger  part  than  either  his 
judgment  or  his  conscience.  When  he 
finally  ran  down,  Newgent  arose  in  a  calm 
manner  and  said,  "Brother,  with  your  way 
of  applying  Scripture,  I  can  prove  that  Eve 
was  the  mother  of  a  turkey  buzzard." 
"Prove  it,  then,"  shouted  back  the  irascible 
theologue.  "Well,  the  Bible  says  that  Eve 
was  the  mother  of  all  living,  and  that  in- 
cludes turkey  buzzards.  Let  us  be  dis- 
missed," and  calling  the  audience  to  their 
feet,  he  pronounced  the  benediction  before 
his  assailant  had  time  to  reply. 

At  another  time,  with  his  brother,  John 
Newgent,  he  happened  to  drop  in  at  a  Meth- 
odist campmeeting  in  Sullivan  County. 
They  arrived  just  in  time  for  the  morning 
service.  A  number  of  ministers  were  seated 
on  the  platform,  among  them  being  Rev. 
Hayden  Hayes,  the  presiding  elder.     Rev. 

44 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

Mr.  na3'es  had  met  Xewoent  on  a  former 
occasion,  and  as  soon  as  he  saw  him  enter 
the  camp,  rushed  back  and  taking  him  by 
the  arm,  led  him  to  the  platform.  Hayes 
was  a  strong,  portly  man,  and  the  delicate 
lad  was  helpless  in  his  grasp;  thus  he  was 
led  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  was  in- 
formed that  he  must  preach.  Though  he 
vainly  sought  to  be  excused,  yet  he  was 
equal  to  the  emergency.  He  had  proceeded 
about  ten  minutes  with  his  discourse,  when 
a  man  sitting  a  few  feet  in  front  of  the 
platform  was  converted  and  began  to  shout. 
He  continued,  and  four  others  in  the  con- 
gregation broke  loose  in  like  manner,  all  of 
them  having  been  converted  through  the  ef- 
fect of  the  sermon,  and  the  discourse  disap- 
peared in  a  whirhNind  of  praise  that  com- 
pletel}'  drowned  the  speaker's  voice.  Up  to 
that  time  there  had  been  no  move  in  the 
meeting. 

Jolm  Xewgent  was  imbued  with  the  old- 
school  Baptist  doctrine  and  had  not  sympa- 
thized with  his  brother's  preacliing  propen- 
sities. After  resuming  their  journey  they 
rode  for  a  time  in  silence.  Finally  the  older 
brother  said,  "Jack,  you  know  I  have  al- 
ways opposed  your  preaching.  But  I  want 
to  say  that  I  have  no  further  objection  to 
it;  but,"  lie  added  with  quivering  lips,  "T 

45 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

want  yon  to  pra^-  for  me."    The  sermon  had 
touched  his  heart. 

Though  urgent  demands  were  made  upon 
the  boy  preacher  to  stay  and  assist  in  the 
meeting,  lie  was  unable  to  do  so,  and  heard 
nothing  further  from  it  until  after  he  had 
returned  from  the  war,  when  by  chance  he 
again  passed  through  the  vicinity.  He 
stopped  at  the  home  of  a  INIrs.  ^Mayfield,  on 
whose  farm  the  camp  was  located,  to  get 
his  dinner  and  his  horse  fed.  As  he  was 
taking  his  leave,  having  paid  his  bill,  he 
chanced  to  observe  the  camp  ground  a  short 
distance  away.  Up  to  that  time  he  was  not 
aware  that  he  was  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
of  it.  He  inquired  of  his  hostess  concerning 
the  camp  meetings.  She  told  him  that  but 
one  such  meeting  had  been  held,  though  the 
intention  was  to  make  it  a  permanent  in- 
stitution. The  unsettled  condition  of  times 
during  the  Rebellion  prevented  the  plan 
from  being  carried  out. 

^'How  was  that  meeting?"  Newgent  asked, 
as  one  who  had  a  peculiar  interest  in  it. 

"Oh,  it  was  a  grand  success.  There  was 
a  little  Baptist  preacher  from  near  Lafay- 
ette happened  in  and  preached  one  morning, 
and  just  set  things  on  fire.  From  that  time 
on  the  meetings  were  powerful." 
46 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

"What  was  the  fellow's  name?"  he  asked, 
but  she  could  not  recall  it. 

"Was  it  Newgent?"  She  said  that  sounded 
like  it. 

"Well,"  he  said,  "I  know  him.  He  isn't 
considered  much  of  a  preacher  up  there 
where  he  lives,  but,"  he  added,  "you  are 
mistaken  about  his  being  a  Baptist.  He  is 
a  United  Brethren." 

She  looked  at  him  curiously  for  an  instant 
and  said,  "I  believe  you  are  the  fellow." 
And  his  smile  told  that  she  had  guessed 
ai'ight. 

His  money  was  returned  at  once,  and  she 
insisted  that  he  stay  and  preach  at  the 
Methodist  church  near  the  camp  ground 
that  night,  assuring  him  that  he  would  have 
a  good  hearing  as  there  had  been  much 
talk  about  the  little  preacher  who  had  "set 
the  camp  meeting  afire."  This  he  was  un- 
able to  do,  but  promised  to  return  at  a  later 
date. 

A  short  while  after  the  camp  meeting,  he 
filled  an  appointment  for  his  pastor,  Rev. 
J.  F.  Moore,  at  the  Leatherwood  church, 
which  was  a  part  of  the  Rockville  charge. 
The  pulpit  arrangement  of  this  church  was 
in  strict  harmony  with  the  fashion  of  the 
times.  It  consisted  of  a  sort  of  wall  which 
shut  the  preacher  in  almost  completely  from 
47 


'  The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

the  congregation,  snggesting  a  military  for- 
tification. Xewiicnt,  b(4n2;  small  of  stature, 
could  with  difficulty  peer  over  the  top  of  the 
ramparts.  He  was  led  to  believe,  however, 
that  the  fortification  was  a  necessary  pre- 
caution, for  his  artillery  had  been  turned 
loose  but  a  short  time  when  it  was  evident 
that  there  was  a  hearty  response.  Bang! 
Some  sort  of  a  missile  struck  the  rampart 
just  in  front  of  him  with  a  loud  report.  It 
was  followed  immediately  by  another,  and 
the  bombardment  continued  until  six  dis- 
charges were  fired.  The  preacher  withdrew 
within  the  breastworks  that  small  fraction 
of  his  anatomy  that  was  exposed,  and  waited 
for  hostilities  to  cease.  The  congregation 
was  at  once  thrown  into  a  state  of  confusion 
and  excitement.  When  the  preacher  finally 
surveyed  the  situation  after  the  heavy  bat- 
teries were  silenced,  he  saw  that  a  hand-to- 
hand  skirmish  was  on  between  two  men  in 
the  rear  of  the  room.  One  was  making  a 
desperate  effort  to  get  the  other  to  the  door 
and  out  of  the  house.  With  the  help  of  the 
congregation,  he  succeeded  in  putting  down 
the  rebellion,  and  going  back  to  his  forti- 
fications he  finished  the  discourse  and  the 
service  was  concluded  in  fairly  good  order. 
The  difficulty  was  only  a  side  issue,  the 
culmination  of  a  grudge  Ix^tween  a  couple 
48 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  JacK 

of  uatives.  The  missiles  were  not  iiiiiied  at 
the  preacher,  but  were  fired  from  ambush 
tlirou.u'li  the  oi)en  door;  tlie  man  for  whom 
they  were  intended  happened  to  be  sitting 
in  range  with  the  pulpit. 

riev.  ^Iv.  jMoore  resigned  the  Roekvilh? 
charge  during  tlie  year  and  Xewgent  was 
appointed  to  serve  the  unexpired  term. 
This  was  his  first  experience  in  the  pastor- 
ate. His  brief  term  of  service  here  was 
characterized  by  a  revival  of  extraordinary 
results  at  Otterbein,  his  liome  cliurch.  Con- 
verts were  nund)ered  by  the  scores  and  the 
community  was  shaken  by  such  a  spiritual 
uplieaval  as  it  had  never  known. 

Another  adventure  should  be  chronicled 
here.  It  has  been  said  that  there  are  but 
three  real  important  £>vents  in  a  man's  life, 
namely,  his  birth,  his  marriage,  and  his 
death.  The  second  of  this  gTeat  trio  in  the 
life  of  our  subject  occurred  during  the 
period  embraced  in  this  chapter.  It  is  a 
common  saying  with  him  that  he  does  not 
believe  in  early  marriages,  hence,  he  de- 
ferred this  important  step  until  he  was 
eighteen  years  old.  And  on  the  seventh  of 
January,  1857,  he  took  to  himself  a  wife  in 
the  person  of  ]\Iiss  Katharine  Copeland. 
She  proved  to  be  a  worthy  and  sympathetic 
companion,  heroically  assuming  her  part  of 

49 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  JacK 

the  biu'dciis  and  responsibilities  that  belong- 
to  the  family  of  an  itinerant  preacher.  That 
her  lot  was  not  an  easy  one  may  be  readily 
assumed  when  we  consider  what  the  minis- 
terial calling  involved  in  that  early  day. 
Its  peculiar  hardships  fell  most  heavily 
upon  the  wife,  yet  these  she  endured  with- 
out protest.  Brave  in  heart,  gentle  in  tem- 
per, and  in  heartiest  accord  witli  her  hus- 
band's interests,  she  proved  to  him  a  real 
helpmeet,  and  an  inspiration  to  his  loftiest 
endeavors. 


50 


Chapter  Four. 

Conference  Membership — Brulitz  Creek  Ministry — 
The  Modern  Knight  and  his  Steed — Abrupt  Clos- 
ing of  Family  Devotions  by  a  Dog  on  the 
Preacher — An  Original  Marriage  Ceremony — A 
Case  of  Mistaken  Identity — A  Banner  Missionary 
Collection — Shawnee  Prairie  Pastorate — A  Cold 
Day  in  April— The  Redemption  of  Hell's  Half 
Acre — Baiting  for  a  Perverse  Fish — An  Experi- 
ence in  the  Whiskey  Business. 

Rev.  ^Ir.  Newgent  was  received  into  the 
Upper  Wabash  Conference  at  Milford,  Indi- 
ana, in  the  sprino-  of  1859.  Bishop  David 
Edwards  presided.  The  Conference  liad 
been  formed  the  preceding  year  by  a  divi- 
sion of  the  Wabash  Conference  territory. 
As  a  matter  of  coincidence  he  was  ordained 
four  years  later  at  the  Conference  in  ses- 
sion at  the  same  place  witli  the  same  Bisliop 
l)residino-.  He  was  now  in  his  twenty-first 
year,  having  been  quite  prominent  in  minis- 
terial labors  for  about  four  years,  and  had 
a  record  for  zeal,  earnestuess,  and  success 
in  revival  work  that  commended  him  favor- 
ably to  the  Conference. 

He  was  appointed  by  this  Conference  to 
the  Brulitz  Creek  Circuit,  which  gave  him 
an  unlimited  field  for  the  exercise  of  his 
zeal  and  talents.  The  circuit  consisted  of 
eighteen  appointments,  only  two  of  which 
51 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

wore  at  clnircli-liouscs;  llic  ollicrs  woro  at 
school hoiiscsand  in  privatclioincs.  With  lit- 
tle or  no  competition,  the  circuit-rider  was 
monarch  of  all  he  surveyed,  though  in  most 
cases  when  he  received  his  a])poiutment  he 
found  enou.o-h  already  surs^eyed  to  tax  his 
time  and  energy  to  the  limit.  Preaching- 
services  were  not  confined,  to  the  Sabbath, 
but  would  fall  upon  any  day  of  the  week, 
and  even  then  the  intervals  between  ap- 
])()intments,  exce])t  during-  the  periodic  "biji; 
meetinjT,"  were  usually  not  less  than  five  or 
six  weeks. 

The  standard  mode  of  travel  was  by  horse- 
back, and  the  circuit-rider,  in  addition  to 
his  other  qualifications,  needed  to  be  efficient 
in  horsemanship.  This  was  scarcely  nec- 
essary in  Newgent's  case,  however.  Not 
being  able  to  own  a  horse  at  this  time,  he 
secured  the  loan  of  one  from  an  accommo- 
dating neighbor.  The  lioree  was  as  accom- 
modating as  its  owner.  It  was  quite  well 
^'broke,"  having  endured  the  rigors  of  some 
nineteen  winters,  and  was  experienced  in 
the  various  departments  of  farm  work.  It 
had  sowed  and  reaped — and  eaten — its  wild 
oats,  and  was  absolutely  reliable,  at  least 
to  the  limit  of  its  physical  endurance.  At 
any  rate  the  horse  had  many  acknowledged 
good  points,  as  a  faithful  portrait  would 
52 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

have  deiuoiistratcd.  Whih'  it  may  not  liave 
been  in  its  real  element  on  dress  parade,  it 
served  the  more  practical  purpose  of  loco- 
motion— to  a  somewhat  limited  extent. 

As  tlie  rider  weighed  scarcely  a  hundred 
pounds,  the  horse  had  no  cause  to  complain 
at  liis  burden.  And  when  it  came  to  matters 
of  appearance,  tlie  odds  were  not  so  un- 
evenly balanced  as  mioiit  be  supposed.  The 
spare-built,  smooth-faced  youth,  clad  in  his 
suit  of  home-spun,  which  was  made  with  a 
reckless  disreoard  of  the  lines  and  propor- 
tions of  his  anatomy,  mioht  w(dl  have  re- 
called the  lines  of  Shakespeare: 

"Would  that  he  were  fatter,  but  I  fear  him 

not ; 
Yet  if  my  name  were  liable  to  fear, 
I  know  of  no  one  whom  I  would  so  much 
avoid." 

Thus,  mounted  upon  his  trusty  steed, 
armed  with  all  the  weapons  of  spiritual  war- 
fare, this  modern  knight  errant  of  the  sad- 
dle-bags rode  forth  valiantly  to  the  scenes 
of  the  year's  conflicts  and  triumphs.  En- 
route  to  his  first  appointment,  he  found  an 
opportunity  to  do  some  pastoral  work  which 
led  to  an  episode,  without  mention  of  which 
these  chronicles  would  be  incomplete.  Pass- 
ing by  the  home  of  one  of  his  prominent 
53 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

members,  he  stopped  for  a  brief  call.  The 
house  stood  on  the  side  of  a  hill,  some  dis- 
tance from  the  road.  A  flight  of  steps  led 
lip  to  the  front  door.  Ascending-  the  steps, 
he  rapised  at  the  door  and  was  kindly  admit- 
ted by  the  good  housewife.  All  went  merry 
as  a  marriage  bell  and  the  time  of  his  de- 
parture Avas  at  hand  all  too  soon.  He  asked 
the  privilege  of  bowing  with  the  family  in 
prayer  before  going,  which  was  freely 
granted.  The  weather  was  warm  and  it 
was  not  thought  necessary  to  close  the  door, 
though  had  it  been  done  in  this  case,  it 
would  have  prevented  a  bit  of  embarrass- 
ment and  incidentally  spoiled  a  good  story. 
As  all  was  so  congenial  within,  the  pastor 
anticipated  no  molestation  from  without, 
and  so  injudiciously  knelt  with  his  back  to 
the  open  door. 

As  he  warmed  up  to  his  devotions,  he 
aroused  from  his  slumbers  a  lai'ge  New- 
foundland dog,  that  had  evidently  not  no- 
ticed the  approach  of  the  stranger,  and  up 
to  that  time  was  unaware  of  his  presence. 
The  aroused  canine  at  once  began  an  investi- 
gation, and  when  he  saw  what  was  going 
on,  seemed  much  offended  that  he  had  not 
been  consulted  about  the  matter.  He 
bounded  up  the  steps  into  the  room,  and, 
seizing  the  preacher  by  the  luxuriant 
54 


Taniily  Devotions  Interrupted. 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

growth  of  black  liair  tliat  coveird  his  dome 
of  tlioniiht,  alToi'diiiu-  an  exceHcnt  hohl  for 
his  teeth,  he  zealoush'  set  about  the  task  of 
romovinix  the  supposed  intruder  from  tlie 
])remises.  The  preacher  was  taken  una- 
wares. Before  he  could  assume  a  defensive 
attitude,  he  and  the  doii"  ^vere  rollinp,'  pell- 
mellj  hi.i;-gledy-i)iiii;Iedy  over  each  other, 
down  the  steps,  and  landed  in  a  confused 
heap  on  the  around.  Devotions  thus  came 
to  an  al)rui)t  close;  the  family  came  to  the 
preacher's  rescue.  All  formalities  were  dis- 
pensed with  for  the  time.  By  the  united 
efforts  of  the  family,  the  dog  and  preacher 
were  finally  separated  ^^'ithout  either  of 
them  being  seriously  damaged,  and  the  new 
pastor  of  Brulitz  Creek  Circuit  went  on  his 
way  to  face  new  adversaries  and  new  ex- 
periences. 

rie  reached  the  home  of  ]Mr.  Jacob  Wim- 
sett,  in  Vermilion  County,  on  Saturday 
evening  as  the  sun  was  dropping  below  the 
horizon,  and  there  put  up  for  the  night. 
This  was  in  the  vicinity  of  his  Sunday 
morning  appointment.  It  was  an  old-fash- 
ioned home  even  for  that  day;  the  home  at- 
mosphere was  more  hospitable  than  conven- 
tional. As  the  preacher  himself  was  quite 
democratic  in  his  temperament,  no  formal- 
ities were  required.  He  noticed  among  the 
55 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

various  iiieiubers  of  the  household  n  yoimg 
man  and  a  yonn<»'  woman  who  seemed  as  un- 
obtrusive and  as  awkward  as  himself.  No 
introductions  bein,i»-  jiiven,  he  took  it  for 
<>ranted  that  they  both  were  members  of  the 
family  and  so  liave  them  no  particular 
thouji-ht  until  he  was  ready  to  start  to 
church  the  next  morning.  As  he  was  about 
to  take  his  leave,  the  young  man  approached 
liim  rather  diffidently  and  requested  him  to 
wait  a  few  minutes. 

"^le  an'  the  girl,"  he  explained,  pointing 
to  the  l)]ushing  lass  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  room,  "are  a  goin'  to  git  married,  an' 
we  want  you  to  say  the  words  for  us  before 
you  go.'' 

"All  right,"  said  Newgent,  in  a  manner 
that  left  the  impression  that  he  understood 
the  situation  all  the  Avhile,  "give  me  your 
license." 

The  document  was  produced  and  the 
twain  took  their  place  in  front  of  the 
preacher,  while  the  rest  of  the  company 
looked  on.  Up  to  this  time  he  had  never 
served  in  that  capacity  and  had  not  the 
slightest  idea  of  a  marriage  ceremony.  Ex- 
amining the  document  in  a  seemingly  crit- 
ical manner  for  an  instant  as  if  to  make 
sure  that  it  conformed  to  all  require- 
ments, he  looked  gravely  at  the  trembling 
56 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

youno-  couple.  "If  you  are  agreed  to  live 
together/'  he  said  so  rapidly  as  to  render  his 
words  scarcely  int<'lligible,  "according  to 
the  marriage  covenant,  join  your  right 
hands."  Scarcely  had  they  time  to  heed  the 
injunction  wlien  he  continued,  "In  the  name 
of  God  I  pronounce  you  man  and  wife." 
And  the  twain  were  made  one. 

He  then  hastened  to  his  morning  appoint- 
ment, reaching  tlie  church  before  the  people 
began  to  gather.  This  was  one  of  the  two 
church-houses  on  the  circuit,  and  was  called 
Nicholls'  Chapel.  "Father"  Nicholls,  one  of 
the  wheel-horses  of  the  church,  and  in  whose 
honor  it  was  named,  was  sweeping  the  floor 
and  putting  the  house  in  order.  His  task 
completed,  he  went  home  to  get  ready  for 
the  morning  service,  without  making  the 
acquaintance  of  the  young  stranger.  Ere 
long  the  people  began  to  arrive.  By  the 
time  Sunday  school  commenced  the  house 
was  quite  well  filled.  Newgent  took  his  seat 
in  the  rear  of  the  house  and  received  no  par- 
ticular attention.  He  was  not  even  invited 
to  a  place  in  a  Sunday-school  class.  How- 
ever, his  presence  incognito  gave  him  a  good 
opportunity  for  taking  notes.  He  over- 
heard frequent  remarks  concerning  the  new 
preacher.  The  people  had  heard  nothing 
of  him  and  were  expressing  doubts  about 
57 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

his  beiu<;'  iu  the  neighborhood.  And  when 
Sunday  school  closed  without  his  presence 
beino;  made  known,  their  doubts  seemed  to 
be  confirmed. 

Rev.  William  Jones,  a  retired  preacher 
and  a  member  of  the  local  class,  came  in 
just  as  Sunday  school  was  closing  and  at 
once  made  inquiry  concerning  the  pastor. 

''We  haven't  seen  or  heard  anything  of 
him,''  was  the  information  he  received  from 
Father  Nicholls. 

"Why,  there  he  is  now,''  and  Rev.  Mr. 
Jones  pointed  to  the  diminutive  lad  near 
the  door. 

"That  fellow?"  Father  Nicholls  was  dum- 
fouuded.  "That  fellow  has  been  here  all 
morning.  I  supposed  he  was  some  hired 
hand  in  the  neighborhood  that  had  just  hap- 
pened in." 

Explanations  and  apologies  were  freely 
indulged  in,  the  supposed  hired  hand  enter- 
ing heartily  into  the  joke.  He  was  intro- 
duced to  the  astonished  congregation,  and 
the  service  proceeded  to  their  entire  satisfac- 
tion and  delight.  Father  Nicholls  treated 
him  kindly;  he  piloted  him  to  the  afternoon 
appointment,  introducing  him  to  all  whom 
they  chanced  to  meet,  invariably  accom- 
panying the  introduction  with  the  story  of 
the  forenoon  experience. 
58 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

"If  I  had  been  out  hiintinji;  for  preachers," 
he  would  say,  in  telling  the  story,  "I  would 
not  have  snapped  a  cap  at  him." 

The  year's  work  on  this  field  was  a  most 
fruitful  one.  The  membership  was  doubled, 
and  though  the  charge  was  not  above  the 
average  in  financial  strength,  he  received 
the  largest  salary  of  any  member  of  the 
conference. 

Little  attention  was  given,  at  this  time, 
to  the  cause  of  missions.  Money  was  not 
generally  recognized  as  a  vital  factor  in 
Christian  service.  Salaries  were  meager 
and  often  consisted  in  provisions  rather 
than  cash.  In  many  places  a  strong  senti- 
ment prevailed  against  a  paid  ministry. 
Poverty  and  ignorance  were  considered  nec- 
essary prerequisites  to  ministerial  piety. 
The  General  Missionary  Board  was  only 
about  nine  years  old,  and  missionary  senti- 
ment had  not  taken  deep  root.  But  New- 
gent  sowed  missionarv  seed  with  a  lavish 
hand,  and  had  the  pleasure  of  reaping  at 
least  part  of  the  harvest.  His  ability  to 
lead  men  to  loosen  their  purse  strings  even 
then  began  to  be  asserted  in  a  marked  de- 
gree. More  than  half  of  the  missionary  con- 
tributions of  the  entire  conference  that  year 
was  reported  from  Brulitz  Creek  Circuit. 
59 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

His  report  attracted  attention  and  won 
liiiii  considerable  distinction  at  tlie  annual 
conference.  According  to  cnstoiii  each  pas- 
tor reported  in  person  in  the  open  confer- 
ence relative  to  the  different  interests  of  his 
charge.  When  asked  about  his  missionary 
offering,  Newgent  replied,  "Here  it  is,"  and 
taking  a  woolen  bag,  commonly  called  a 
sock,  from  his  pocket  he  emptied  its  con- 
tents on  the  table.  The  contents  consisted 
of  coins  of  various  denominations  just 
as  he  had  gathered  them  to  the  amount 
of  133.40,  the  small  change  giving  it  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  larger  sum  than  he  actually 
had.  However,  this  was  considered  remark- 
able. Most  of  the  pastors  reported  nothing. 
Dr.  D.  K.  Flickinger,  the  first  missionary 
secretary  of  the  Church,  was  occupying  a 
seat  on  the  platform  near  the  Bishop,  and 
joined  heartily  with  him  in  applause  at  the 
splendid  report  and  the  unique  manner  of 
presenting  it. 

The  year's  work  placed  the  "boy  preacher" 
in  a  most  favorable  light,  and  led  to  his  ap- 
pointment to  the  Shawnee  Prairie  Circuit, 
tlie  strongest  charge  in  the  Conference.  The 
charge  had  had  the  pastoral  service  of  Rev. 
Thomas  H.  Hamilton,  a  mighty  man  who 
stood  high  in  the  counsels  of  the  denomina- 
tion. It  was  characterized  by  more  than  the 
60 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

usnal  aniount  of  wealth  and  culture,  and 
withal  an  air  of  aristocracy  that  led  to 
demands  upon  a  pastor  that  were  most  ex- 
acting. Rev.  ^Ir.  Hamilton  was  a  favorite 
on  the  circuit,  and  the  people  had  no 
thought  of  losing  him.  His  election  to  the 
office  of  presiding  elder,  however,  necessi- 
tated the  change,  and  when  the  awkward, 
and,  as  they  thought,  inexperienced  lad 
came  among  them,  they  felt  that  their  aris- 
tocratic tastes  were  outraged.  It  was  a  wet, 
chilly  day  in  April  when  he  arrived,  and 
the  crestfallen  spirits  of  the  people  made  it 
still  more  chilly  for  him.  And  when  he 
learned  that  the  matter  of  rejecting  him  was 
being  seriously  considered,  the  situation  was 
anything  but  cheerful. 

He  told  the  people  he  would  remain  until 
tlie  first  quarterly  meeting,  when  the  presid- 
ing elder,  Rev.  ]Mr.  Hamilton,  would  be  pres- 
ent, and  that  he  would  willingly  abide  by 
their  decision  at  that  time.  This  was  a 
judicious  step,  as  it  gave  him  an  opportun- 
ity to  prove  himself.  So  he  went  to  work 
with  his  usual  zeal  and  by  the  time  of  the 
quarterly  meeting  he  had  sixty  conversions 
with  about  an  equal  number  of  additions  to 
the  church.  All  thought  of  rejecting  the 
pastor  had  com]>letely  vanished.  In  fact 
they  would  not  have  swapped  him  off  for 
61 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

the  "bijTjiest  «;iiu  they  had  ever  heai'd  lireil." 
Such  success  as  the  charoe  had  never  known 
crowned  the  hibors  of  tliat  year — great  re- 
vivals at  all  the  ai)pointments,  the  circuit 
more  than  doubled  in  strength,  and  en- 
thusiasm at  hin-h  tide.  Thus  their  mourn- 
ing was  turned  into  laughing.  A  unan- 
imous demand  was  made  for  his  return  for 
another  year,  but  his  restless  spirit  sought 
new  worlds  to  conquer.  His  motto  has  al- 
ways been  that  it  is  better  to  go  to  a  needy 
field  and  build  it  up  than  to  go  where 
further  advancement  is  impossible.  On  this 
ground  he  asked  to  be  sent  to  a  new  field. 

One  experience  cm  Shawnee  Prairie  Cir- 
cuit is  worthy  of  special  mention.  Contig- 
uous to  the  circuit,  near  Attica  in  Foun- 
tain County,  was  a  section  of  country  known 
as  Hell's  Half  Acre.  Its  leading  spirit  was 
an  infidel  doctor.  His  influence  and  teach- 
ings had  so  dominated  the  community  that 
it  was  found  impossible  to  maintain  reli- 
gious services  there.  Ministers  were  consid- 
ered proud,  indolent,  and  altogether  an  un- 
desirable lot.  Newgent  determined  to  do 
some  missionary  work  in  that  benighted 
place,  though  repeated  efforts  to  that  end 
had  been  made  in  vain. 

In  order  to  make  a  favorable  impression 
and  avoid  the  imprecation  of  being  proud, 
62 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

he  dressed  in  liis  everyday  clothes  aud  vis- 
ited the  district  school,  which  was  the  geo- 
g:rai)hi(al  and  social  center,  and  the  only 
place  where  nieetinj^s  could  be  held,  lie 
announced  that  there  would  be  services  at 
the  school  house  that  eveniuu',  to  be  contin- 
ued indefinitely,  and  urged  the  children  to 
spread  the  news. 

The  anuouuceuK^nt,  however,  did  not  ])ro- 
duce  satisfactory  results.  The  attendance 
the  first  three  or  four  evenings  did  not  ex- 
ceed a  half-dozen.  The  atmosphere  was 
rather  chilly  and  the  spiritual  barometer 
did  not  indicate  an  early  change.  It  soon 
became  apparent  that  the  old  doctor  was  the 
ke}'  to  the  situation.  If  the  people  were  to 
be  reached,  it  must  be  done  mainly  through 
him.  How  to  capture  this  (loliath  was  now 
the  problem,  and  this  problem  Newgent  set 
about  to  solve. 

The  Sunday  services  having  been  no  bet- 
ter attended  than  the  preceding  ones,  he 
decided  upon  a  bold  move.  On  Monday 
afternoon  he  called  at  the  doctor's  home. 
The  doctor  answered  his  knock  at  the  door 
in  person.  The  old  fellow's  rough  demeanor 
and  uncouth  appearance,  his  ancient  cob 
pipe  that  had  long  been  entitled  to  a  super- 
annuated relation,  the  musty,  dingy  room 
which  the  half-open  door  disclosed — all 
63 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

seemed  in  strikino-  liarmony  with  his  atti- 
tude toward  religiou,  Tlie  ])i'eaelier  intro- 
duced himself  and  explained  tlmt  he  was 
holding  a  revival  over  at  the  school  house. 
The  grizzled  old  sinner  loolced  him  over 
from  head  to  foot,  but  said  notliing,  though 
the  expression  on  his  sin-hardened  face 
seemed  to  saj^  more  plainly  than  words, 
"Well,  you  little  rascal,  you  had  better  be 
at  lionie  with  your  motlier," 

"I  understand,"  persiste<l  the  preacher, 
ignoring  the  old  gentleman's  contemptuous 
frown,  "that  you  are  a  good  singer  and  a 
prominent  citizen,  and  I  would  like  to  con- 
sult you  about  the  work  and  s^et  you  to  help 
me." 

"Help  in  a  revival  ?  Why,  don't  you  know 
that  I  don't  believe  in  the  Bible  or  churches, 
or  religion  of  any  sort?" 

"Well,  that  needn't  stand  in  the  way. 
The  evenings  are  long  and  tlie  young  people 
want  somewliere  to  go.  You  can  do  the  sing- 
ing and  I'll  do  the  preaching." 

That  put  a  different  complexion  on 
things.  Here  was  a  chance  for  some  fun, 
and  incidentally  an  outlet  for  his  musical 
propensities,  for  he  was  well  versed  in 
music.  The  idea  seemed  to  take  hold.  The 
grim  features  began  to  relax.  The  boys 
were  called  and  told  to  "put  up  the  preach- 
64 


The  Boy  Preacher  Visiting   the  Infidel 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

er's  Iiorso,"  aud  the  i)i'('a('lier  was  invited 
into  the  house.  The  invitation  was  heartily 
accepted.  Newgent  understood  fishing;  he 
had  fislied  before.  Tlie  hook  was  l)aited  and 
lie  now  perceived  tliat  he  had  got  a  nibble. 
Tlie  afternoon  was  spent  to  a  good  advan- 
tage. Convei'sation  flowed  in  various  chan- 
nels, but  fought  sliy  of  religion — no  time 
for  that  yet.  He  waited  for  his  fish  to  take 
the  cork  under  before  pulling  in.  The  doc- 
tor had  a  large  family  of  children,  and  their 
appearance  bore  testimony  to  the  fact  that 
they  were  strangers  to  church  and  Sunday 
school.  The  boys  spread  the  startling  news 
that  "dad  was  goln'  to  help  the  boy  preacher 
in  the  big  meetin.'  "  And  such  news  traveled 
as  it  were  with  seven-leagued  boots. 

That  was  all  the  advertisement  the  meet- 
ing needed.  The  infidel  accompanied  the 
preacher  to  the  meeting,  taking  his  place  up 
front,  and  led  the  singing  after  the  droll 
manner  then  in  vogue.  An  earthquake  or  a 
man  from  the  dead  would  not  have  created 
more  excitement  or  comment.  From  that 
time  the  little  school  house  did  not  accom- 
modate the  crowds. 

The  sermon  that  evening  was  not  calcu- 
lated to  create  a  very  profound  impression. 
It  was  more  saturated  with  Irish  humor 
than  with  real  gospel  truth.     The  time  for 

65 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

seriousness  had  not  yet  arrived.  But  the 
axe  was  laid  at  the  root  of  the  tree,  and  the 
kingdom  was  nearer  at  hand  than  any  of 
them  supposed.  As  a  fisher  of  men,  the 
preacher  was  still  baiting  for  the  fish. 

The  next  night  he  took  for  his  theme  the 
Judgment.  This  was  the  occasion  for  sol- 
emn and  serious  facts.  lie  turned  loose  all 
the  artillery  at  his  command  in  storming 
the  batteries  of  infidelity  and  sin,  and  felt 
the  presence  of  the  Spirit  in  directing  the 
message.  As  he  neared  the  close  of  his  dis- 
course, he  turned  to  the  doctor.  The  wind 
had  been  taken  out  of  the  old  man's  sails; 
his  face  was  in  his  hands  and  he  was  weep- 
ing bitterly. 

"What's  the  matter,  doctor?"  he  shouted, 
in  a  strong,  firm  voice,  striving  to  make  his 
words  as  impressive  as  possible. 

The  doctor  did  not  answer. 

"Get  down  on  your  knees,"  he  commanded 
as  one  who  spoke  with  authority. 

And  the  great  exponent  of  infidelity  went 
down,  and  his  example  was  followed  by  a 
number  of  others.  He  wrestled  in  agony 
and  prayer  until  near  midnight,  when  the 
light  broke  in  upon  his  long  benighted  soul 
— and  the  fish  was  caught.  Such  demon- 
strations had  never  been  seen  in  Hell's  Half 
Acre  as  took  place  in  the  rude  school  house 
66 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

that  nio-ht.  The  tide  had  surely  turned  and 
the  redemption  was  at  hand. 

As  he  dismissed  the  service,  Newgent  an- 
nounced that  lie  was  ready  to  0:0  home  with 
the  first  man  who  invited  him.  A  tall, 
threadbare,  weather-beaten  fellow  accepted 
the  challenge.  Rut  when  the  preacher 
started  to  go,  he  explained  that  he  didn't 
mean  it.  "I  can't  take  care  of  you  ;  I  haven't 
any  room,"  he  protested. 

"Go  ahead,''  said  the  preacher,  "I  can 
sleep  on  dry  coon  skins  and  eat  roasted 
potatoes."  xVnd  he  went  in  spite  of  the  pro- 
tests of  his  host. 

The  man  was  surely  honest  in  his  protest. 
He  dwelt  in  a  hut  built  of  round  poles.  In 
one  corner  was  a  badly  cracked  stove  that 
had  long  done  service  for  both  cooking  and 
heating  purposes.  Two  large  box-like  ar- 
rangements partly  filled  with  leaves  gath- 
ered from  the  forest,  together  with  some 
ragged  covering,  served  as  feeble  apologies 
for  beds,  and  between  these  beds  was  a  bar- 
rel of  whisky.  Though  it  was  past  mid- 
night, the  wife  was  sitting  up.  She  was 
scantily  clad,  yet  her  face,  though  care- 
worn, revealed  a  high  degree  of  intelligence, 
bearing  evidence  that  she  had  seen  better 
days.  Two  little  girls  whose  appearance 
harmonized  only  too  well  with  their 
67 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

wretched  surroundings,  completed  the  fam- 
ily circle.  As  Newgent  entered  this  hovel 
his  eyes  rested  upon  such  a  picture  of  desti- 
tution as  he  had  never  seen.  The  whisky 
barrel,  however,  told  the  whole  story. 

Newgent  soon  had  the  entire  family,  feel- 
ing perfectly  at  ease.  Tie  played  with  the 
children  and  proved  liimself  a  most  con- 
genial guest.  But  he  was  there  for  their 
spiritual  good.  That  night  the  wretched 
home,  for  the  first  time,  became  a  house  of 
prayer.  Before  the  light  of  a  new^  day 
dawned  the  light  from  heaven  broke  in  upon 
the  sad  heart  of  that  wife  and  mother,  and 
a  new  day  dawned  in  her  life.  The  next 
morning  the  husband  likewise  found  the 
Savior,  and  the  whisky  barrel,  the  cause  of 
so  much  misery  and  poverty,  vacated  its 
place  in  the  home,  for  old  things  had  passed 
away  and  all  things  had  become  new.  An- 
other stronghold  was  lost  to  the  enemy.  A 
glorious  night's  work  it  was,  and  a  mighty 
step  toward  the  final  conquest  of  this  spirit- 
ual Canaan. 

The  man  asked  Newgent  to  roll  the  barrel 
of  whisky  into  the  river.  But  he  said,  "No ; 
let  us  sell  it  to  the  druggist.  We  can  use 
the  money  to  a  good  advantage.""  So  he  bor- 
rowed a  team  and  wagon,  and  hauled  the 
whisky  to  the  nearest  drug  store,  and  re- 
68 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

eeived  oigliteeii  dollars  for  it.  With  the 
money  he  bought  some  much  needed  clotli- 
inuj  for  the  wife  and  children.  It  was  his 
first  and  only  experience  in  the  whisky  busi- 
ness. 

The  entire  community  was  swept  by  the 
revival.  Multitudes  were  converted,  a 
church  was  organized,  and  a  church-house 
built.  The  wliisky  man  and  the  ex-infidel 
became  pillars  in  the  church,  one  serving 
as  class  leader  and  the  other  as  steward. 
Never  was  a  work  of  grace  more  complete, 
or  the  power  of  God  more  wonderfully  or 
graciously  displayed  in  the  transformation 
of  a  community  than  in  the  case  of  Hell's 
Half  Acre. 


69 


Chapter  Five. 

Six  Months  at  Rainsville — A  Hotbed  of  Southern  Sym- 
pathizers— A  Mix-up  with  Saloon  Men — A  Ser- 
mon on  Slavery — Fire  and  Brimstone — An  An- 
tagonist Outwitted — A  Sermon  from  the  Book  of 
Newgent — Can  Any  Good  Thing  Come  Out  of 
Rainsville? 

In  1861,  the  time  of  holding  tlie  Upper 
Wabash  Conference  was  changed  from 
spring  to  fall.  Hence,  two  sessions  were 
held  that  year  with  an  interim  of  but  six 
months  between  them.  This  period  was 
spent  by  Rev.  Mr.  Newgent  on  the  Williams- 
port  Circuit  in  Warren  County,  Indiana. 
He  moved  Avith  his  family  to  Rainsville,  a 
village  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  in- 
habitants, located  on  Vermilion  River.  The 
town  was  still  in  the  rough,  its  chief  activ- 
ities centering  about  two  rival  saloons.  As 
it  had  no  church  and  not  a  single  inhab- 
itant who  professed  religion,  the  saloons 
had  things  pretty  much  their  own  way. 
The  Newgents  occupied  part  of  a  building 
that  formerly  did  service  as  the  village  inn ; 
the  rest  of  it  was  occupied  by  one  of  the 
saloon  keepers.  The  two  families,  however, 
did  not  have  undisputed  possession  of  the 
place,  as  it  seemed  to  have  been  preempted 
by  bed  bugs  and  fleas,  which  were  no  incon- 
70 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

spicuous  feature  of  life  in  Kainsville.  While 
the  saloon  keeper  and  the  preacher  main- 
tained peaceable  relations  with  each  other, 
these  aboriginal  neiohbors  maintained  an 
attitude  of  hostility  with  a  persistence  that 
was  worthy  of  a  better  cause  than  they  rep- 
resented. 

Another  thing  that  made  life  in  Rains- 
ville  interesting  during  this  period  was  the 
war  which  was  then  in  its  first  year  of 
progress.  The  sympathies  of  the  inhabi- 
tants were  decidedly  with  the  South.  But 
one  man  could  be  found  who  claimed  to  be 
loyal  to  the  Union,  and  as  might  be  ex- 
pected under  such  circumstances,  he  was 
not  ver;\^  enthusiastic  about  it.  They  could 
safely  be  counted  on  the  ofif  side  of  any 
question  or  movement  that  involved  a  moral 
element.  With  the  war  agitation  to  stir 
their  blood,  the  well  patronized  saloons  do- 
ing business  seven  days  and  nights  in  the 
week,  and  the  absence  of  any  religious  in- 
stitution or  influence,  Rainsville  might  well 
have  served  as  a  basis  for  the  doctrine  of 
total  depravity. 

The  Williamsport  Circuit,  like  most  of 
the  country  parishes  of  its  day,  afforded  a 
man  plenty  of  room  to  grow  in.  If  a  pastor 
rusted  out  it  was  his  own  fault.  But  New- 
gent,  with  his  active  temperament  and  fond- 
71 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

ness  for  adventure,  was  not  the  man  to  rust 
out.  Not  only  the  Sabbath,  but  most  of  the 
evenings  between  Sabbaths  were  taken  up 
^^•it]l  i)reaehinj»'  services.  Each  alternate 
Sabbath  during  the  Williamsport  pastorate 
he  preached  four  times,  which  entailed  forty- 
t^^■o  miles  of  travel  by  horseback.  The  day's 
program  was  as  follows:  Leaving  home  at 
daybreak,  he  rode  twenty  miles  to  a  ten 
o'clock  appoiutnu^nt.  After  the  service  he 
would  get  a  "hand  out"  for  dinner  and  reach 
the  next  appointment  at  two  o'clock,  then  to 
a  4:30  service,  and  on  home  for  meeting  at 
night.  Life  was  both  simple  and  strenuous 
in  the  extreme. 

The  first  Sunday  in  this  village  was  a 
memorable  one.  Leaving  his  plucky  young 
wife  to  liold  the  fort,  the  new  x>astor  made 
his  forty-two-mile  round,  reaching  home 
about  sundown.  No  provision  had  been 
nuide  for  preaching  in  town,  bnt  Newgent 
resolved  to  give  the  inhabitants  of  this  in- 
ferno a  chance  to  hear  the  gospel.  A  rowdy 
mob  was  collected  about  each  saloon.  An 
air  of  general  lawlessness,  recklessness,  and 
cussedness  prevailed.  Games  and  sports  of 
various  sorts  were  maintained  on  the 
streets.  Horseback  riders  were  galloping 
here  and  there,  firing  pistols  and  perform- 
ing various  stunts  in  imitation  of  life  among 
72 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

tlio  untamed  cowboys  and  Indians.  Their 
boisterous  talkinj>-  and  hollowing,  with  here 
and  there  a  man  staiiii,erin;[>-  under  his  loa<l 
of  Kninsville's  chief  ])i'()(hu't,  all  combined, 
might  well  have  led  to  the  conclusion  that 
th(>  demons  of  the  lower  regions  had  been 
liberated  and  were  holding  high  carnival  in 
celebration  of  the  event. 

"SA'hen  Newgent  told  his  wife  that  he  had 
decided  to  preacli  at  the  school  house  that 
night,  she  tried  to  dissuade  him,  fearing  for 
his  safety.  And  well  she  might  after  what 
she  had  seen  of  life  in  Rainsville  that  day. 
But  he  gloried  in  heroic  tasks  and  lieede<l 
not  her  wise  counsel.  He  at  once  set  about 
to  publish  the  appointment.  In  order  to 
find  tlie  people  he  went  to  one  of  the  sa- 
loons. The  saloon  was  full  of  men,  and  the 
men  were  full  of  the  saloon.  Stepping  up  to 
the  bar-tender  he  told  him  that  he  was  going 
to  hold  a  religious  service  at  the  school 
house  at  7 :  30.  "As  there  are  no  church 
services  in  town,"  he  said,  "I  am  sure  you 
will  be  willing  to  encourage  such  a  move- 
ment by  closing  your  place  of  business  and 
attending." 

"You  can  preach  all  you  d please; 

I  haven't  been  to  church  for  twenty  years," 

answered  the  booze  dispenser  with  a  look 

7Z 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

that  seemed  to  add,  "and  I  don't  propose  to 
commence  now." 

"But  I  am  a  stranger  here,  and  you  don't 
know  but  I  am  the  smartest  man  in  the 
country,  or  may  be  the  biggest  fool.  You 
had  better  come  and  find  out  for  yourself." 

The  idea  of  a  church  service  struck  the 
saloon  patrons  as  a  desirable  innovation, 
and  as  they  were  in  favor  of  anything  that 
promised  a  diversion,  they  began  to  take 
sides  with  the  preacher.  Their  enthusiasm 
waxed  intense,  due  mainly  to  the  reflex  in- 
fluence of  tarrying  long  at  the  grog  shop. 
They  were  unanimous  and  emphatic  in  de- 
manding that  the  saloon  be  closed  and  that 
all  go  to  church. 

The  proprietor  finally  said  that  he  would 
consent  on  condition  that  his  competitor 
would  do  likewise. 

"All  right,  I'll  see  him,"  and  Newgent 
broke  for  the  other  saloon  where  a  similar 
situation  prevailed.  Several  of  the  men  vol- 
unteered to  accompany  him  and  assist  in 
enforcing  the  demand,  so  that  an  ambas- 
sage  that  carried  with  it  no  small  authority 
presented  itself  before  the  high  priest  of 
Gambrinus  of  the  rival  saloon.  A  delega- 
tion from  one  saloon  to  another,  headed  by 
a  preacher,  was  an  uncommon  sight,  espe- 
cially in  Rainsville,  but  it  had  the  desired 
74 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

effect.  For  once  the  saloons  were  closed 
and  the  center  of  interest  transferred  to  the 
school  house.  News  of  the  meeting  spread 
in  short  order.  The  new  preacher  made 
himself  an  object  of  curiosity  and  comment 
by  his  establishing  diplomatic  relations 
with  the  governing  bodies  of  the  village, 
and  everybody  was  anxious  to  see  more  of 
him.  So  all  Kainsville  turned  out  to  church 
— men,  women,  boys,  girls,  and  dogs — all  en- 
tering heartily  into  the  novelty  of  a  reli- 
gious service  with  a  real,  "sure  enough" 
preacher  at  the  head  of  it. 

Newgent  prudently  made  the  service 
brief.  The  sermon  was  not  as  spiritual  as 
it  might  have  been  under  different  condi- 
tions, as  the  congTegation  was  quite  sympa- 
thetic and  responsive,  and  he  considered  it 
injudicious  to  encourage  their  emotions  at 
that  time.  He  was  more  especially  con- 
cerned about  laying  plans  for  the  future. 
How  to  get  them  back  was  the  question, 
which  he  sought  to  solve  by  a  bit  of  strategy. 
So,  in  addition  to  giving  them  a  few  mor- 
sels of  wholesome  advice,  well  sugarcoated 
with  his  native  good  humor,  he  made  the 
startling  announcement  that  at  the  next 
meeting  he  would  preach  on  the  subject  of 
slavery.  If  anything  were  calculated  to 
bring  them  back,  surely  that  was. 
75 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

It  was  taJvcn  for  oranted,  of  course,  that 
he  was  an  Abolitionist  and  would  dononnce 
the  South.  The  blood  of  those  southern 
sympathizers  at  once  began  to  boil.  Every- 
body anticipated  a.  liA'ely  time,  and  interest 
became  intense.  All  felt  that  the  foolhardy 
younc  fellow  did  not  realize  the  danger  to 
which  he  was  exposing  himself.  An  old 
gentleman,  the  village  blacksmith,  whose 
father  had  been  a  United  Brethren  preacher, 
felt  it  his  duty  to  warn  the  reverend  gentle- 
man and  have  him  to  call  off  the  entire 
proceedings.  As  usual,  Newgent  was  firm. 
He  told  the  gentleman,  however,  that  he 
Avanted  to  be  fair  to  both  sides,  so  if  those 
who  disagreed  with  him  desired,  they  might 
get  a,  man  to  follow  him  and  present  the 
other  side  of  the  question. 

This  they  were  only  too  anxious  to  do. 
When  the  time  came,  they  had  their  man. 
By  the  time  Newgent  and  his  wife  arrived 
at  the  little  school  house  that  evening  it  was 
completely  packed  and  an  immense  crowd 
was  gathered  on  the  outside.  It  was  with 
the  greatest  difficulty  that  they  forced  them- 
selves through  the  anxious  throng  and  made 
their  way  to  the  front  of  the  building.  The 
opponent  was  on  hand,  ready  to  take  his 
measure  and  smash  all  of  his  arguments. 
As  might  be  surmised,  sympathy  was  plainly 
76 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

and  emphatically  with  the  soiithcru  advo- 
cate. If  he  ('Oiild  not  demolish  the  frail  Ab- 
olitionist, there  were  enough  present  who 
were  ready  to  lend  all  the  assistance  he 
needed.  The  smell  of  brimstone  was  in  the 
air,  indicating-  the  presence  of  that  commod- 
ity in  unlimited  (quantities.  All  that  was 
lacking  for  a  real  conflagration  was  some- 
thing to  touch  it  oft".  And  that  something 
was  momentarily  expected. 

After  a  brief  preliminary  exercise,  the 
preacher  opened  the  discussion.  Like  the 
great  apostle  on  Mars  Hill,  he  compli- 
mented his  hearers  on  their  seeming  inter- 
est in  the  subject  at  hand.  "As  the  subject 
of  slavery,"  he  said,  ''is  stirring  our  country 
from  one  end  to  the  other,  and  as  it  is  a 
subject  of  such  vital  importance,  I  take 
pleasure  at  this  time  in  presenting  one 
phase  of  it. 

"I  wish  to  observe  in  my  remarks.  First, 
the  slave;  Second,  his  master;  Third,  the 
law  by  which  he  is  held  in  bondage;  Fourth, 
how  he  is  to  be  liberated ;  Fifth,  where  he  is 
to  be  colonized."  Thus  far,  well  and  good. 
These  were  familiar  topics,  and  had  been 
discussed  pro  and  con  even  by  the  school 
children.  Hence,  his  opening  remarks  were 
according  to  expectations,  and  breathlessly 
they  awaited  what  was  to  follow. 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

Their  consternation  and  chagrin  can  only 
be  imagined  when  he  proceeded  to  state  that 
the  slave  is  the  sinner;  his  master  is  the 
devil ;  the  law  by  which  he  is  held  in  bond- 
age is  sinful  lusts  and  habits;  he  is  to  be 
liberated  through  the  blood  of  Christ;  and 
heaven  is  the  place  of  his  colonization. 
Around  these  propositions  he  built  his  dis- 
course without  an}^  reference  to  slavery  as 
a  civil  institution.  It  was  strictly  a  gospel 
sermon,  and  his  antagonist  had  no  dispo- 
sition to  reply. 

"Well,  we  are  beat,"  said  the  old  black- 
smith after  the  service  was  dismissed,  "but 
the  boy  is  the  sharpest  fellow  that  ever 
struck  this  town."  And  he  was  not  alone 
in  his  conclusion. 

With  a  view  to  holding  the  audience  for 
the  next  appointment,  he  announced  that 
he  would  preach  at  that  time  from  the  Book 
of  Newgent,  the  twenty-eighth  chapter  and 
thirty-third  verse,  "Can  any  good  thing 
come  out  of  Rainsville?" 

A  few  days  after  this  announcement,  he 
received  a  call  from  an  old  gentleman.  The 
unsuspecting  brother  had  been  having 
trouble  over  the  Book  of  Newgent.  He 
stated  that  he  and  the  old  woman  had  been 
searching  the  Bible  all  week  and  were  un- 
able to  find  it.  He  was  kindly  urged  to  be 
78 


The  Experiences  of  Ur.cle  Jack 

present  at  the  preaching  service  and  assured 
that  his  troubles  would  all  be  cleared  up. 
Presumably  the  matter  was  explained  to  his 
satisfaction,  as  he  was  not  heard  from 
again. 

The  Rainsville  pastorate,  though  brief, 
was  full  of  thrilling  interest,  and  was  not 
without  substantial  results  for  good.  He 
won  the  respect  and  confidence  of  this  un- 
couth people,  and  had  the  satisfaction  of 
seeing  man}'  of  the  grosser  evils  disappear 
under  his  ministry.  Before  he  left,  the  signs 
of  a  brighter  day  were  plainly  discernible. 
His  influence  with  them  was  turned  to  good 
account,  as  Avill  be  seen  in  the  next  chap- 
ter. 


79 


Chapter  Six. 

The  War  Spirit  in  Indiana — Breaking  up  a  Traitor- 
ous Plot — Narrow  Escape  from  Enemies — Assists 
in  Securing  Recruits — Becomes  Chaplain  of  his 
Regiment — Exchange  of  Courtesies  icith  a  Pres- 
byterian Minister  —  An  Embarrassing  Predica- 
ment— Saves  Regiment  from  Capture — Organizes 
a  Military  Church — Chased  by  Johnnies — An  Ex- 
citing Homeward  Journey. 

Indiana  was  a  storm  center  during-  the 
Civil  War.  her  position  was  a  strategic  one. 
She  was  regarded  as  the  keystone  of  the 
North.  With  Oliver  T.  Morton,  ''Indiana's 
great  War  Governor,"  at  the  head  of  affairs, 
she  was  held  firmly  to  her  moorings,  and 
furnished  a  larger  number  of  soldiers  for 
the  Union  Army  in  proportion  to  popula- 
tion than  any  other  State.  Yet  the  State 
was  constantly  harrassed  by  citizens  who 
were  unfriendly  to  the  Union  cause,  and 
who  secretly  or  openly  sympathized  with 
the  South.  Secret  organizations  for  the 
purpose  of  aiding  the  Confederacy  were 
common.  Conspicuous  among  these  was  the 
Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle.  Yet  many 
not  identified  with  these  traitorous  organ- 
izations Avere  utterly  disloyal.  Hence,  much 
bitterness  and  not  infrequently  bloodshed 
prevailed.  It  was  not  unusual  for  men  in 
80 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

official  position  to  iiso  their  influence 
against  the  Government,  or  even  to  join  the 
army  with  traitorous  intent. 

Rev.  ]Mr.  Newi^ent  was  servinc:  as  pastor 
for  the  second  year  on  the  Clark's  Hill 
charoe,  when  in  the  fall  of  1863,  he  was 
"persuaded,"  as  he  said,  "to  go  into  the 
army  for  safety."  With  his  wife  he  was  pay- 
ing a  visit  to  his  fatlier-in-law  in  Parke 
County,  In  the  neighborhood  lived  a  man 
who  was  captain  of  Home  Guards,  but 
whose  loyalty  was  strongly  suspected.  A 
small  brother  of  IMrs.  Newgent  sometimes 
visited  with  his  diildren,  and  on  returning 
from  one  such  visit,  incidentally  mentioned 
having  seen  some  pretty  guns  in  the  barn 
where  they  had  been  playing.  Newgent  un- 
derstood the  meaning  of  these  guns  secreted 
on  the  premises  of  this  traitorous  man,  and 
telegraphed  the  news  to  Governor  [Morton. 
A  squad  of  soldiers  was  dispatclied  to  the 
place  and  some  three  hundred  guns  were 
found.  They  were  confiscated  and  a  trait- 
orous scheme  was  thus  frustrated. 

Newgent  at  once  became  the  object  of  a 
great  deal  of  attention.  That  he  was  re- 
sponsible for  the  exposure,  was  generally 
surmised.  A  plan  was  formed  to  do  away 
with  him.  On  Sunday  evening  following 
the  episode  he  Avas  to  preach  at  the  Oak 
81 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

Ridoe  United  Brethren  Church  in  the  com- 
munity. In  the  midst  of  the  service,  by  a 
preconcerted  plan,  the  lijijhts  were  suddenly 
extinj>uished,  and  his  adversaries  were 
about  to  execute  their  design.  He  succeeded 
in  making  his  escape  in  the  darkness  by  the 
assistance  of  an  uncle.  The  outlook  seemed 
rather  stormy,  and  he  was  convinced  that  it 
was  safer  in  the  armj'  than  out  of  it.  Leav- 
ing his  wife  in  the  care  of  her  father,  he 
hastened  to  Lafayette  where  a  regiment, 
the  116th  Indiana  Infantry,  was  being 
formed  Iw  Colonel  William  C.  Kise. 

At  that  period  recruits  were  hard  to  get 
and  the  work  proceeded  slowly.  Newgent 
asked  the  colonel  what  tlie  chance  would  be 
for  him  to  get  tlie  appointment  of  chaplain. 

"What  churcli  do  you  belong  to?"  the  col- 
onel asked. 

''I  am  a  United  Brethren,"  was  the  an- 
swer. 

"I  am  sorry,"  said  the  colonel,  "1  like  the 
United  Brethren  Church  and  would  like  to 
give  you  the  appoiutinent ;  but  this  is  to  be 
a  ^fethodist  reginu^nt ;  all  the  officers  are  to 
bo  ^lethodists,  and  it  is  understood  that  the 
chaplainship  is  to  be  given  to  a  Methodist 
preacher  up  in  tlie  city." 

"Will  you  take  me,  then,  as  a  private?" 
lie  asked, 

82 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

"Certainly,"  was  the  ea^er  reply,  "we 
shall  be  s;\m\  to  take  yon,  for  recruits  are 
cominc:  in  awfully  slowly."  There  were 
then  only  seven  companies  started.  None  of 
them  were  complete.  Newj^ent  offered  to 
assist  in  raisin 2;  recruits. 

"If  you  will  uive  me  transportation  pa- 
pers," he  said,  "I  think  I  can  net  some  men 
over  in  Warren  County." 

"Warren  County!"  exclaimed  the  colonel 
in  dis?nist.  "It's  of  no  use  to  £jo  there  for 
recruits.  T  have  had  a  couple  of  ijood  men 
over  there  for  three  weeks  and  they  have  s^ot 
only  four  men."  But  New<?ent  insisted  that 
he  be  allowed  to  try.  He  understood  those 
people  and  felt  that  he  knew  how  to  ap- 
proach them.  The  papers  were  finally  cnven 
him,  and  he  set  out  for  Rainsville  in  this 
doubtful  territory. 

Rainsville,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  a 
headquarters  for  southern  sympathizers, 
where  little  more  than  a  year  before  but 
one  Union  man  could  be  found.  The  task 
was  a  challeuGje  to  Newcrent,  the  kind  of  a 
task  he  delighted  in.  Takina;  a  bov  with  a 
drum  and  flafij,  he  went  to  the  villaere  and 
nearby  points,  nnd  soon  had  the  inhabitants 
inoculated  with  the  war  microbe.  The  pros- 
pects of  a  draft  about  this  time  proved  an 
effective  arijurnent  in  favor  of  enlistment, 
83 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

which  was  used  for  all  it  was  worth.  After 
an  absence  of  six  days  he  returned  to  camp 
with  104  men,  which  was  the  first  full 
(•om])any  in  the  regiment,  this,  too,  from 
territory  that  was  as  completely  southern 
in  sentiment  as  thouiih  it  had  been  in  the 
very  heart  of  the  Confcnleracy. 

The  march  to  camp  was  a  triumphal  pro- 
cession. The  company  of  volunteers  was 
accompanied  by  several  hundred  men  and 
boys  who  fell  in  on  the  Avay.  As  they  came 
into  camp  about  twelve  o'clock  on  Satur- 
day nioht  with  colors  flyino;  and  ijiving  vent 
to  their  enthusiasm  by  sins^inp;  and  hollow- 
inji',  it  had  the  effect  of  a  small  army,  not 
unlike  that  of  Gideon's  band,  Avhen  they 
multiplied  the  effect  of  numbers  by  noise 
and  enthusiasm  and  scared  the  ^lidianites 
out  of  their  wits.  The  colonel  met  them 
with  a  drum  corps  and  the  company  was 
welcomed  amid  the  most  extravaiiant  ex- 
pressions of  delight.  The  fact  that  recruits 
were  coming  in  so  slowly  gave  increased 
cause  for  demonstration.  When  the  general 
hub-bub  had  somewhat  abated,  the  crowd 
demanded  a  speech  from  Newgent,  and  the 
demand  was  imperative.  Though  worn  by 
physical  exertion  and  hoarse  from  much 
haranguing,  he  gave  a  brief  talk,  at  the 
close  of  which,  amid  great  applause,  some 
84 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

one  moved  that  "Rev,  Mr.  Newsrent  be  made 
ehnplnin  of  the  regiment."  Tt  was  heartily 
seconded,  and  shouts  of  a])proval  burst 
from  every  section  of  the  camp.  So,  by  tjen- 
eral  consent  the  rule  to  make  it  a  ^fethodist 
reuiment  was  waived,  insofar  as  it  related 
to  the  chanlainship,  much  to  the  satisfac- 
tion of  Colonel  Kise,  and  Newj2:pnt  became 
their  so i ritual  adviser. 

The  INfethodist  brother,  who,  it  was  under- 
stood, was  to  receive  the  appointment,  came 
out  the  next  afternoon  (Sunday)  to  preach 
to  the  bovs  and  sret  acnnainted  ;  but  on  be- 
u\\x  apprised  of  what  had  taken  place  the 
niiiht  before,  he  quietly  withdrew,  leavino- 
Newirent  in  undisputed  possession  of  the 
honors  which  his  tact  and  enera-v  had  won. 

The  reiriment  was  finally  completed  and 
mustered  in  for  a  term  of  six  months, 
thouirh  it  served  considerablv  over  time.  Its 
first  service  was  rendered  in  sruardinc;:  the 
U,  S.  Armory  at  Detroit,  Michigan.  The 
armory  Avas  threatened  by  General  Vallan- 
dicrham,  who  had  been  banished  from  the 
United  States  because  of  treasonable  expres- 
sions, and  had  placed  himself  at  the  head 
of  a  force  in  Canada  with  the  purpose  of 
threateninc:  the  Union  from  the  north.  The 
reofiment  wns  Inter  sent  to  reonforce  Gen- 
eral Burnsides  in  east  Tennessee, 
85 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

This  was  duriiiLi'  the  torrible  winter  of  '63 
and  '04,  when  Burusides  was  besieged  by 
Confederate  General  Longstreet  and  was 
shut  np  in  Knoxville.  The  hardshi])s  suf- 
fered by  the  Union  soldiers  during  that 
memorable  siege  are  matters  of  history  and 
need  not  be  recounted  in  detail  here. 
Among  the  foremost  of  the  sufferers  was 
Newgent's  regiment,  the  116th  Indiana.  All 
supplies  having  been  cut  off,  the  boys  for 
many  weeks  had  a  hard  struggle  to  keep 
from  succumbing  to  hunger  and  cold.  For 
a  time  they  each  had  but  one  ear  of  corn  a 
day;  no  tents,  and  not  sufficient  clothing 
for  protection  even  under  favorable  circum- 
stances. In  the  midst  of  the  severest  win- 
ter weather,  over  three  hundred  of  the  men 
were  barefooted.  Newgent  was  the  best 
dressed  man  in  his  regiment,  and  it  was 
with  difficulty  that  he  got  his  dress  coat  to 
hang  together  at  the  collar ;  and  he  suffered 
no  little  uneasiness  lest  his  trousers  would 
dissolve  partnership  with  him. 

A  few  characteristic  army  experiences 
will  suffice  in  this  connection  and  occupy 
the  remainder  of  this  chapter. 

On  reaching  Tennessee,  the  regiment  was 
stationed  temporarily  at  Greenville.  The 
care-free  boys  attended  services  the  first 
Sunday  morning  at  the  Presbyterian  church 
in  the  city.  The  pastor,  Rev.  Samuel  Mc- 
86 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

Oorklo,  troated  tlioiii  kindly.  Tlicy  wore  de- 
lighted with  the  reception  accorded  them, 
and  on  the  following?  Sabbath  a  large  part 
of  the  rei^inient,  inchidinti'  the  chaplain, 
turned  ont  to  worship  at  Kev.  Mr.  Mv- 
Corkle's  church.  ^Vhen  Newcjent  appeared 
in  liis  chaplain's  uniform,  ^IcCorkle  at  once 
led  him  up  to  the  pulpit  and  insisted  that 
he  preach.  The  chaplain  was  never  averse 
to  preaching  whenever  there  was  occasion 
for  it,  and  so  consented,  under  slight  pres- 
sure. He  observed  the  pastor's  manuscript 
neatly  tied  up  with  red  ribbon,  which  told 
him  he  had  barely  escaped  listening  to  a 
manuscript  sermon.  Newgent  had  little 
sympathy  for  a  written  discourse  and  took 
advantage  of  the  situation  to  indulge  in 
some  pleasantries  at  the  learned  parson's 
expense.  Tie  told  the  congregation,  the 
greater  part  of  whom  were  soldiers,  that  he 
had  no  set  discourse,  and  that  he  never  tried 
to  palm  off  a  written  sermon  upon  a  help- 
less congregation,  as  such  a  procedure  was 
"like  a  doctor  writing  a  prescription  before 
examining  the  patient."  Rev.  ]\[r.  McCor- 
kle  accepted  the  criticism  good-naturedly 
and  invited  Newgent  to  take  dinner  with 
him  after  the  service.  After  several  weeks 
of  army  rations,  the  dinner  at  Rev.  ^Ir.  Mc- 
Corkle's  home  was  a  most  delightful  change. 
B7 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

Tie  retiU'iKHl  the  courtesy  that  liad  been 
accorded  him  by  inviting-  his  host  to  preacli 
to  his  "boys"  in  the  afternoon.  The  invita- 
tion was  accepted.  ^IcCorkle  did  not  deem 
it  judicious  to  use  his  manuscript  after  the 
episode  of  tlie  forenoon,  and  was  visibly 
handicapped  and  embarrassed  in  his  at- 
tempt at  extemporaneous  delivery.  He 
talked  but  a  few  minutes  and  turned  the 
service  over  to  the  cliaplain. 

After  the  service  the  two  men  had  a  heart- 
to-heart  talk.  McCorkle  confessed  his  cha- 
grin at  not  being  able  to  preach  without  his 
manuscript,  and  expressed  a  determina,ti(m 
to  cultivate  the  habit  of  extemporaneous  de- 
livery. That  the  determination  was  carried 
out  was  seen  in  the  fact  that  he  became  a 
leader  in  this  method  of  preaching.  And 
the  two  preachers  continued  fast  friends. 

An  incident  more  pleasing  to  relate  than 
to  undergo  occurred  at  Tazewell,  Tennessee, 
where  Newgcnt's  regiment  had  been  dis- 
patched with  twenty-four  others  to  check  a 
Confederate  force  that  was  approaching 
from  that  quarter.  They  went  into  cainp, 
building  temporary  fortifications  with  the 
grave  stones  of  a  nearby  cemetery.  About 
midnight  tlie  army  was  surprised  by  the  sud- 
den arrival  of  a  force  of  Confederate  cav- 
alry that  captured  some  of  the  outposts. 

88 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

Xew.2:('nt,  with  some  of  liis  regiment,  was 
garrisoned  iu  an  old  building  that  had  been 
used  for  a  granary.  As  the  fire  was  opened 
lie  caught  up  his  clothes  in  his  arms,  and, 
mounting  his  horse,  started  down  the  hill 
for  a  more  healthful  location.  The  horse 
stundiled  over  some  rocks,  throwing  the 
rider  to  the  ground  and  scattering  liis  pre- 
cious wearing  apparel  to  the  four  winds. 
There  was  no  time  for  trifles,  and  the  clothes 
were  abandoned  for  the  time.  They  were 
recovered  about  nine  o'clock  the  next  morn- 
ing, much  to  the  relief  of  the  reverend, 
whose  situation  in  the  meantime  was  as  em- 
barrassing as  it  was  uncomfortable. 

On  one  occasion  his  coolness  and  ingenu- 
ity were  the  means  of  saving  his  entire  reg- 
iment from  capture.  The  regiment  had  been 
ordered  across  the  Clinch  River  in  east  Ten- 
nessee to  guard  a  narrow  passage  in  the 
mountains  at  what  was  called  Bean's  Sta- 
tion. They  had  gotten  across  and  were  camp- 
ing in  a  bend  of  the  river  when  news  came 
that  the  rebels  had  superseded  them,  and 
three  brigades  were  between  them  and  the 
gap.  They  might  easily  have  retreated,  but 
the  river  became  swollen  from  heavy  rains, 
and  to  cross  a  swift,  mountain  stream  under 
such  circumstances  was  practically  out  of 
the  question. 

89 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

Newj^ent  was  sick  at  the  time,  beinu;  cared 
for  at  the  coloiiers  hcadciiiai'tcrs.  During 
the  early  part  of  the  night  the  colonel  came 
to  him,  trembling  with  fear,  and  said, 
"Chaplain,  wliat  on  earth  is  to  be  done? 
There  is  a  strong  rebel  force  on  one  side  of 
ns,  and  an  unfordable  stream  on  the  other. 
If  we  are  not  out  of  here  by  morning  every 
one  of  us  will  be  captured." 

The  rebels  were  confident  that  they  could 
not  get  away  and  so  waited  until  morning  to 
bag  their  game. 

"Bring  six  or  seven  of  the  boys  here,"  said 
Newgent.  The  boys  were  brought.  He  told 
them  to  go  down  to  the  river  where  they 
would  find  an  old  canoe  partly  filled  with 
water.  "Build  a  fire  on  the  bank  so  that  its 
light  will  shine  across  the  stream,  bail 
the  water  out  of  the  canoe,  put  it  in  as  good 
shape  as  possible,  and  then  report." 

They  followed  his  instructions,  after 
which  then-  came  back  to  headquarters,  and 
the  sick  chaplain  got  out  of  his  bed  and 
went  back  wdth  them  to  the  river.  Though 
it  was  a  perilous  undertaking,  the  men  got 
in  the  water-soaked  canoe,  and  by  the  un- 
certain light  of  the  fire,  made  their  way  to 
the  other  side  of  the  angry  stream.  They 
went  to  General  Curtain's  headquarters,  re- 
lated the  situation,  and  procured  a  supply 

90 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

of  cannon  rope.  Witli  the  rope  they  made 
a  cable  across  the  river.  They  thus  devised 
a  rude  ferry  by  means  of  an  abandoned  and 
pai'tly  subnier<;('d  barjie  which  tliey  raised 
and  repaired  for  the  purpose.  Tlie  barjjfe 
would  carry  about  twelve  men  or  one  horse 
at  a  trip.  It  A\as  propelled  by  the  men  hold- 
ino;  to  the  cable  and  thus  laboriously  work- 
ing  their  way  from  one  side  of  the  stream  to 
the  other.  Throuiih  the  dark,  stormy  niji^ht 
they  toiled,  and  before  daybreak  the  entire 
reoiment  with  all  appurtenances  was  out  of 
reach  of  the  (^neniy.  When  the  rebels 
reached  forth  their  hand  next  morning  to 
bag  their  game,  lo !  it  wasn't  there ! 

It  was  a  terrible  night's  work,  however. 
The  sick  chaplain  stayed  with  the  barge  un- 
til the  last  man  was  saved.  He  was  twice 
thrown  into  the  water,  and  ran  a  fearful 
risk  in  thus  exposing  himself  at  so  critical 
a  time.  After  the  excitement  of  the  night, 
by  which  alone  his  physical  strength  was 
sustained,  he  suffered  a  serious  relapse.  He 
was  confined  to  his  bed  at  General  Curtain's 
headquarters  for  about  two  weeks,  when  he 
again  reported  for  duty.  The  men  regarded 
him  as  their  deliverer,  and  the  satisfaction 
of  having  saved  his  comrades  from  the  hor- 
rors of  a  southern  prison  compensated  for 
all  he  suffered.  For  this  heroic  deed  he  was 
91 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

complimented  on  dress  parade  by  a  special 
order  from  the  general. 

Tlie  following  reference  to  this  incident 
is  found  in  tlie  "Official  Eecords  of  the 
Army/'  Series  L,  Vol.  XXXI. : 

Tazewell,  Tenn.,  December  14,  1863. 
Major-General   Foster,   Knoxville: 

General:  I  have  the  honor  of  reporting  that  I 
arrived  here  this  evening  at  about  dark,  having 
left  Rutledge  at  9:00  a.  m.,  and  Bean's  Station  at 
1:30  p.  m.  .  .  .  At  the  crossing  of  the  Clinch 
River  (Evan's  Ford)  I  found  a  sufficient  guard, 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  Kise.  The  river 
was  rising  quite  rapidly,  but  the  guard  had  raised 
and  repaired  the  ferry-boat,  which  was  crossing  suc- 
cessfully, being  pulled  back  and  forth  by  hand  upon 
a  cable  stretched  from  one  shore  to  another.  1 
think  that  it  would  be  well,  as  a  matter  of  security, 
to  have  another  boat  built  there,  and  will  so  notify 
Colonel  Babcock. 

I  am,  general,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient 
servant,  O.  M.  POE, 

Captain  and  Chief  Engineer,  Army  of  the  Ohio. 

As  a  means  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of 
the  "boys,"  he  conceived  and  carried  out  the 
idea  of  organizing  a  military  church. 
Though  there  were  various  religious  organ- 
izations among  the  soldiers,  and  some  doubt- 
less on  similar  lines,  yet  this  was  an  entirely 
original  conception  with  him.  His  church 
took  no  denominational  name,  but  was  made 
up  of  all  who  w'ere  willing  to  become  mem- 
bers. It  was  completely  officered,  and  main- 
tained prayer  meetings  and  church  services 
at  stated  intervals.  Two  special  revival 
92 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

meetiiij^s  nnci-c  held   in  wliicli  about   2r»(l  of 
the  "bo,ys''  woro  couvorted. 

TTis  spiritual  ministrations  wore  not  lim- 
ited to  the  soliliers.  AVhenever  an  oppor- 
tunity presented  itself  he  would  hold  serv- 
ices at  nearby  churohes  and  school  houses. 
On  one  such  occasion  he  incidentally,  to  use 
his  own  expression,  "chased  seven  Johnnies 
for  three  and  a  half  miles."  Tt  was  a  merry 
race;  like  Jehu  the  entire  party  rode  furi- 
ously. But  as  the  chaplain  had  more  at 
stake  than  his  com])anions  in  the  chase,  he 
managed  to  nmintain  his  position  well  in 
advance  of  the  seven,  and  was  quite  willing- 
to  abandon  the  chase  by  the  time  he  reached 
camp. 

Not  least  among  the  interesting  army  "ex- 
periences'' was  the  homeward  journey.  As 
previously  stated,  tlie  regiment  served  over 
the  time  for  which  they  enlisted.  The  men 
were  impatient  and  homesick.  Their  desti- 
tute condition  rendered  many  of  them  al- 
most desperate.  Almost  half  of  them  were 
barefooted  and  all  were  weakened  by  hunger 
and  exposure.  The  morning  on  which  they 
were  to  start  home  the  colonel  announced 
that  they  would  proceed  to  Barb(M'sville, 
Kentucky,  and  that  there  they  would  find  a 
supply  of  much-needed  clothing  and  provi- 
sions. This  was  a  two-days'  march,  which, 
93 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

in  itself,  was  no  pleasing  prospect  under  the 
circuiiistancos.  The  promise  of  food  and 
clothinfi:,  however,  nerved  them  for  the  or- 
deal. It  was  midnight  wlien  liarhersville 
was  reached,  and  to  their  utter  consterna- 
tion the  promised  supplies  were  not  there. 

Things  were  looking  blue.  The  colonel 
said  to  Newgent,  "You  have  the  best  horse 
in  the  regiment.  Take  a  couple  of  the  boys 
and  get  out  and  find  something  to  feed  these 
men  before  morning."  lie  started,  not  to 
forage,  but  to  beg.  At  the  first  house  he 
came  to  he  was  met  by  a,  woman  to  whom 
he  stated  his  mission.  She  showed  him  a 
blood  spot  on  the  floor  where  her  husband 
had  been  killed  b}^  the  rebels,  and  said  tliat 
all  she  had  was  a  half-bushel  of  meaJ,  but 
she  was  willing  to  divide.  It  was  all  he  se- 
cured, though  he  continued  the  search  until 
daylight.  Returning  to  camp,  he  threw  the 
bit  of  meal  at  the  colonel's  feet,  and  fell 
down  exhausted,  dropping  at  once  into  a 
deep  sleep. 

What  happened  during  the  time  he  slept, 
when  the  real  situation  dawned  ujjou  the 
men,  he  could  only  surmise.  The  next  he 
knew,  the  colonel  had  him  aroused  and  was 
ordering  him  to  ride  ahead  of  the  regiment 
to  a  little  water-mill  about  twelve  miles  dis- 
tant to  see  what  could  be  found  there,  and 
94 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

to  arraii<>c  if  possible  to  feed  the  men  when 
they  arrived.  He  found  a  few  bushels  of 
grain,  most  of  it  in  a  bad  condition.  When 
ground  into  meal  it  made  just  on(^  pint  eaeh 
for  the  men.  After  they  had  eaten  their 
morsel,  the  colonel  made  them  a,  little  speech 
in  wliich  he  told  tlicm  that  the  next  objec- 
tive point  would  be  Camp  Dick  Robinson, 
and  for  every  man  to  look  out  for  himself 
until  they  reached  tlie  camp.  This  tliey 
were  quite  glad  to  do.  And  when  in  a  few 
days  they  met  at  the  camp,  they  were  in  bet- 
ter spirits,  and  were  pretty  well  supplied 
for  the  rest  of  the  journey. 

The  next  way  station  was  Camp  Nelson. 
Here  they  were  met  by  the  Provost  Mar- 
shal who  declared  the  regiment  under  ar- 
rest for  pillaging,  and  ordered  them  to  stack 
arms.  \Miile  the  authorities  were  arrang- 
ing the  details  for  taking  care  of  them,  the 
colonel  took  advantage  of  the  delay.  "At- 
tention, Battalions,"  he  shouted,  "Shoul- 
der arms — for^-ard  march — double  quick!" 
The  order  was  eagerly  obeyed.  A  "double- 
quick"  nmrch  was  made  to  Nicholasville. 
This  was  a  railroad  town.  Here  they  or- 
dered a  train  for  Cincinnati.  The  train 
steamed  out  of  the  station  with  its  load  of 
animated  freight  just  as  the  Marshal  with 
his  guard  galloped  in  sight. 
95 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

The  authorities  at  Cincinnati  were  noti- 
fied by  wire  to  arrest  the  regiment  on  its 
arrival  there,  but  this  was  anticipated.  So 
they  o-ot  off  the  train  at  Covinoton,  crossing 
the'  Ohio  Kiver  by  ferry  to  Cincinnati. 
There  they  got  a  train  for  Indianapolis 
Avithout  being  detected.  Tlie  train  was 
pressed  into  service  to  convey  them  on  to 
Lafayette,  the  home  of  the  regiment.  They 
reached  the  city  on  Sunday  evening,  as  the 
church  bells  were  ringing  for  the  evening 
services.  New  gent,  as  his  custom  was,  went 
to  church.  Possibly  he  felt  the  need  of  it 
after  what  he  had  gone  through.  He  went 
to  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
and  at  the  urgent  request  of  the  pastor,  de- 
livered the  evening  discourse  to  the  delight 
of  the  splendid  audience. 

It  should  be  said  in  justice  to  Rev.  Mr. 
Newgent  that  he  was  not  a  party  to  any  of 
the  irregularities  that  almost  brought  his 
regiment  into  disrepute  after  it  had  acquit- 
ted itself  so  well  on  the  field.  He  remon- 
strated with  the  men  and  exhorted  them  to 
better  conduct,  but  when  the  pressure  of 
army  discipline  was  removed,  the  pent-up 
energies  of  these  raw  backwoodsmen  were 
turned  loose  along  various  channels  and 
could  neither  be  suppressed  nor  regulated. 
The  officers  of  the  regiment,  with  the  ex- 
96 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

ceptiou  of  Nowfi;ent,  were  summoned  before 
the  proper  military  tribunal  at  Indianap- 
olis, to  answer  for  their  depredations.  They 
were  acquitted,  however,  being  ably  de- 
fended by  Lieutenant-Colonel  O.  O.  Beam, 
Whether  or  not  the  verdict  was  a  just  one, 
is  of  no  special  concern  to  us  here.  Suffice 
it  to  say  that  our  subject,  though  a  young 
man,  so  ordered  his  life  as  not  only  to  keep 
himself  unspotted  from  the  world,  but  at  the 
sajne  time  to  win  for  himself  the  confidence 
of  even  the  most  hardened  sinners.  He  was 
exonerated  from  all  blame  in  advance,  and 
his  name  was  not  brought  before  the  court. 


CiiAi'TKU  Seven. 

Plants  the  United  Brethren  Banner  in  Terre  Haute — 
Prairieton  Pastorate — Difficulty  with  the  Sons  of 
Anak — A  Prayer  Without  an  "A?«.en" — Another 
Covimunity  Redeemed — Going  to  the  Wrong  Doc- 
tor— A  Perverse  Colt — An  U7iintentional  Immer- 
sion— One  Sermon  That  was  not  Dry. 

It  \Yas  in  April,  1864,  when  Kev.  Mr.  New- 
f»ent  returned  fi*om  the  war,  ITis  own  con- 
ference did  not  meet  until  fall,  but  the 
Lower  Wabash  Conference  met  in  its  an- 
nual session  in  Vermilion,  Illinois,  about 
the  time  of  his  return.  With  the  view  to 
getting  back  on  the  firing  line  at  once,  he 
attended  the  latter  conference,  and  was  ap- 
pointed to  Terre  Haute  (Indiana)  Mission. 
This  was  strictly  prospective  work,  as  the 
mission  was  projected  at  this  session.  The 
conference  at  the  same  session,  following 
the  example  of  the  Upper  Wabash  Confer- 
ence, decided  to  change  the  time  of  its  an- 
nual meetings  from  spring  to  fall,  hence  the 
appointment  was  made  for  a  period  of  only 
six  months.  During  this  time  Rev.  Mr. 
Newgent  devoted  himself  with  characteris- 
tic zeal  to  laying  broad  and  deep  the  founda- 
tions of  his  church  in  this  new  Macedonia. 
That  his  labors  were  fruitful  is  seen  in  the 
fact  that  he  reported  to  the  fall  conference 
98 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

an  ors^anizcd  clmrch  on  Second  Street,  with 
splended  prospects  of  a  prosperous  future — 
prospects  which  subse(|uent  history  has 
abundantly  fulfilled.  To  him  belonp^s  the 
credit  of  first  plantini;  the  United  Brethren 
banner  in  this  thriving:  city,  where  the 
Church  has  since  steadily  jjrown  to  a  place 
of  presti<]je  and  influence. 

The  Terre  Haute  pastorate  was  followed 
by  a  year  at  Prairieton,  in  Vi.no  County, 
Indiana.  Some  experiences  on  this  field  are 
worthy  of  note.  A  revival  meeting?  was  held 
in  an  unevanirelized  community  at  what  was 
known  as  the  Battle  Row  School  House, 
near  the  Wabash  River.  The  school  house 
was  a  primitive  log  building  with  plenty  of 
ventilation.  The  wide  cracks  between  the 
logs  in  the  walls  not  only  admitted  a  suf- 
ficiency of  fresh  air,  but  were  a  source  of 
temptation  to  the  untamed  sons  of  the  na- 
tives who  were  wont  at  critical  times  to 
inject  missiles  of  various  sorts  through  them 
into  the  midst  of  the  congregation,  causing 
more  or  less  uneasiness  and  often  confusion 
to  the  worshipers.  It  was  not  a  place 
where  one  could  worship  under  his  own  vine 
and  fig  tree  with  no  one  to  molest  or  make 
afraid.  During  the  early  stage  of  the  meet- 
ing reapers  were  scarce,  and  to  all  apj^ear- 
ances,  were  wholly  inadequate  to  the  de- 
99 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

mands  of  the  <>T('at,  over-ripe  harvest.  The 
sons  of  Anak  seemed  to  have  a  perpetual 
title  to  the  place,  and  showed  no  intention 
of  evacuating^  it.  At  one  time,  as  Newgent 
was  making  an  earnest  plea  for  penitents  to 
come  to  the  altar,  he  observed  a  company  of 
ruffians  in  the  rear  of  the  room  in  a  rather 
impenitent  condition,  bantering  one  another 
to  go  forward  to  the  mourner's  bench.  The 
quick  wit  of  the  preacher  frustrated  their 
evil  designs.  Constant  vigilance  had  to  be 
exercised  to  prevent  outbreaks  and  demon- 
strations of  a  similar  character.  As  the 
meeting  proceeded  converts  multiplied  and 
the  odds  became  more  and  more  to  the  ad- 
vantage of  the  faithful. 

There  was  one  wheel-horse  who  was  the 
pastor's  right  hand  man  in  the  great  con- 
flict with  primitive  elements.  A  splendid 
man  he  was,  though  his  droll  manner  was  a 
subject  of  sport  for  the  lewd  felloAvs  of  the 
baser  propensities.  A  characteristic  atti- 
tude when  he  offered  public  prayer  was  to 
kneel  facing  the  wall,  with  his  back  toward 
the  congregation.  Tlien  with  his  eyes  closed 
and  oblivious  to  all  his  surroundings,  he 
would  soar  to  a  high  altitude  in  his  elo- 
quence and  fervency  of  spirit.  In  such  sur- 
roundings, however,  it  would  have  been  bet- 
ter had  Father  Scott,  as  he  was  affection- 
100 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

atelj  called,  not  foi-ootteu  liis  relation  to 
this  mundane  sphere,  for  the  situation 
surely  demajidcKl  watching  as  well  as  pray- 
ing. Esj)ecially  would  it  have  prevented  an 
awkward  hitcli  in  tjie  services  one  evening 
when  the  interest  and  enthusiasm  were  at 
their  greatest  height.  Intense  conviction 
was  capturing  and  humbling  proud  and  de- 
fiant hearts,  and  victory  was  perching  upon 
the  banners  of  the  loyal  band. 

But,  as  in  the  days  of  Job,  wln^n  the  sons 
of  God  went  to  worship,  Sat-an  went  also. 
Battle  Row  School  House  furnished  a  good 
<lemonst ration  of  the  fact  that, 
"Wherever  God  erects  a  house  of  prayer. 
The  devil's  sure  to  build  a  chapel  there; 
And  'twill  be  found  upon  investigation, 
The  latter  has  by  far  the  larger  congrega- 
tion." 
While  the  worshipers  were  in  the  midst 
of  great  rejoicing,  Satan's  hosts  were  hold- 
ing high  carnival  on  the  outside.     Father 
Scott  was  called  upon,  as  he  frequently  was, 
at  the  most  critical  stage  in  the  meeting,  to 
lead  in  prayer.    As  his  custom  Avas,  he  knelt 
with  his  face  to  the  wall,  and  by  chance  his 
mouth  was  dangerously  near  a  huge  crack. 
W^iile  sailing  away  in  the  ether  world,  and 
the  people  were  hanging  breathlessly  upon 
his  earnest  and  eloquent  words,  all  unex- 

101 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

pectedly,  for  some  strange  reason,  the  ma- 
chinery stopixxl.  It  was  iiniisual  for  a 
prayer  to  be  terminated  so  abruptly  without 
the  conventional  "amen."  All  eyes  were 
fixed  upon  Leather  Scott.  What  could  have 
happenefl?  It  was  painfully  apparent  that 
he  was  in  distress.  He  was  making-  a  des- 
perate elfort  to  clear  some  obstruction  from 
his  throat,  get  his  breath,  and  regain  his 
equilibrium. 

The  proximity  of  Father  Scott's  mouth 
to  the  opening  in  the  wall  was  too  great  a 
provocation  for  the  unregenerates  on  the 
outside  of  the  house  to  forego.  One  of  them 
had  prepared  a  ball  of  mud,  and  with  accu- 
rate aim,  threw  it  through  the  crack  into  the 
brother's  mouth,  putting  him  temporarily 
out  of  commission.  There  was,  of  course, 
confusion  in  the  midst  of  Zion,  but  Father 
Scott,  whose  battery  had  been  silenced  by 
this  unexpected  maneuver,  was  soon  able  to 
resume  operations,  and  the  battle  was 
pressed  with  increased  vigor. 

There  was  another  neglected  community 
adjacent  to  this  charge.  It  was  entirely 
without  church  services  or  religious  influ- 
ences of  any  kind.  In  the  community  lived 
a  well-to-do  gentleman  of  the  name  of  Owen, 
whose  wife  was  an  invalid.  Being  of  a  reli- 
gious turn  of  mind,  and  deprived  of  church 
102 


BWm. 


A  Prayer  Without  An  Amen 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

privileges,  she  desired  to  have  a  meeting 
held  at  her  liome  mainly  for  her  benefit. 
Kev.  Mr.  Xewgent  was  invited  to  conduct 
the  service.  His  Sundays  being  taken  up  by 
his  regular  work,  the  meeting  was  held  in  a 
forenoon  during  the  week.  A  goodly  com- 
pany of  neiglibors  gathered  out  of  respect 
to  the  dear  sister,  and  she  enjoyed  the  occa- 
sion so  much  that  she  invited  them  all  back 
for  a  seii'ice  in  tlie  evening.  The  evening- 
meeting  proved  still  more  interesting,  and  it 
was  decided  to  continue  the  services  indef- 
initely. It  developed  into  a  grand  revival 
which  resulted  in  many  conversions,  the  or- 
ganization of  a  church,  and  the  building  of 
a  church-house.  Among  the  first  to  come 
to  the  mourner's  bench  was  ^Ir.  Owen,  the 
generous  host.  He  "came  through"  shout- 
ing and  became  a  strong,  staunch,  and 
stormy  defender  of  the  faith. 

Among  attendants  at  the  revival  were  two 
brothers,  "Dave"  and  "Joe"  Walker,  not- 
able characters  in  a  local  way.  Both  were 
proficient  in  the  use  of  the  violin,  or,  in  the 
vernacular  of  the  day,  they  were  great  fid- 
dlers. Even  if  there  was  nothing  else  to 
place  them  under  the  ban  of  pious  sentiment, 
this  in  itself  would  have  been  sufficient,  for 
the  fiddle  had  been  so  exclusively  associated 
with  l)ad  company  that  it  was  supposed  to 

103 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

have  absorbed  something  of  the  evil  spirits 
of  its  companions,  and  in  the  superstitious 
imaginations  of  many  it  possessed  invisible 
hoofs  and  horns,  and  a.  strange,  infernal 
power  that  was  to  be  zealously  avoided. 
Hence,  Dave  and  Joe  were  regarded  as  typ- 
ical "hard  nuts,''  and  it  cannot  be  denied 
that  they  made  an  honest  effort  to  live  up 
to  their  re])utations.  They  were  more  fa- 
miliar with  the  conventionalities  of  the 
country  "hoe-down"  than  with  the  atmos- 
phere of  a  'i)ig  meetin'."  Until  the  revival 
at  the  Owen  home  attracted  their  attention, 
they  had  not  been  present  at  a  church  serv- 
ice since  they  were  boys.  They  became 
fairly  regular  attendants  at  the  meeting, 
and  in  consequence,  both  got  sick.  Their  ill- 
ness seemed  to  be  of  a  peculiar  character,  as 
neither  of  them  could  explain  his  symptoms 
or  give  any  clue  as  to  the  seat  of  the  trouble. 
Joe  became  much  worse  one  evening  and 
by  midnight  he  began  to  think  he  was  being 
beckoned  across  the  border.  Dave,  whose 
condition  was  not  so  critical,  was  dispatched 
to  Prairieton  for  medical  aid.  While  he 
was  gone,  Joe  got  religion.  This  proved  to 
be  all  the  treatment  he  needed.  All  un- 
favorable symptoms  disappeared,  and  he  set 
out  post  haste  to  meet  his  brother.  Just  be- 
fore he  reached  the  village,  he  met  Dave  on 
104 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

his  way  home,  when  the  followin<r  colloquy 
took  place: 

"Oh,  Dave,  I've  got  all  the  medicine  I 
need.   It  ain't  pills  we  need,  but  religion." 

"Bless  the  Lord,  I've  took  the  medicine, 
too,"  said  Dave.  He  had  also  been  con- 
verted on  his  return  from  the  doctor's  office. 
It  thus  became  apparent  that  their  malady 
was  spiritual  rather  than  physical,  but  be- 
ing unfamiliar  with  symptoms  of  that  char- 
acter, they  were  unable  to  diagnose  the  case 
until  the  remedy  had  been  applied.  The  two 
brothers  were  made  every  whit  whole,  soul 
and  body.  They  hung  up  "the  fiddle  and  the 
bow,"  and  their  talents  and  energies  were 
turned  loose  along  more  legitimate  chan- 
nels. 

Vermilion  Circuit,  in  Illinois,  was  the 
scene  of  the  next  pastorate.  Here  a  memor- 
able experience  took  place  as  he  was  making 
his  second  "round"  on  the  charge.  New- 
gent,  like  other  strong  men,  has  always  had 
some  hobbies,  legitimate  hobbies  in  his  case, 
however,  that  were  elements  of  strength  in 
his  ministry.  One  of  these  is  punctuality. 
He  has  always  been  scrupulously  punctual 
in  meeting  his  engagements.  He  never 
misses  a  train  from  the  fact  that  he  is  far 
more  likely  to  be  at  the  station  three-quar- 
ters of  an  hour  ahead  of  time  than  three- 
lOS 


& 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

quarters  of  a  minute  late.     lie  is  a  strict 
believer  in  the  maxim  of  the  muse, 
"Better  be  an  hour  early  and  stand  and 
wait, 
Than  to  be  a  moment  behind  the  time." 

In  fillin.i>-  appointments  he  observes  the 
same  rule.  He  finds  it  helpful  to  be  on 
hand  sufficiently  early  to  meet  and  shake 
hands  with  the  advance  guards  of  the  con- 
gre«>ation.  It  alfords  a  tonic  for  his  wits 
and  puts  him  in  a  mood  to  be  at  his  best. 

On  his  new  charge  was  a,  church  known 
as  Prairie  Chapel.  As  usual,  in  his  intro- 
ductory services  he  exhorted  his  people  to 
be  punctual  in  their  attendance,  stating  that 
he  nmde  it  a  point  to  be  on  time,  and  that 
if  he  at  any  time  was  not  strictly  "on  the 
dot,"  they  might  know  that  something  was 
wrong.  It  so  happened  that  at  the  very  next 
service  the  scrupulously  punctual  preacher 
was  behind  time,  and  it  also  happened  that 
something  was  desperately  wrong. 

As  a  sort  of  background  to  the  scene  to  be 
here  presented,  it  would  be  well  to  state 
that  he  was  clad  in  a  new  suit,  as  preachers 
usually  were  at  the  beginning  of  the  year. 
The  new  suit  consisted  of  a  complete  outfit 
from  boots  to  hat  and  gloves,  including  also 
that  luxury  which  not  every  circuit  rider 
could  afford,  a  fine  shawl.  It  should  further 
106 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

be  explained  that  he  was  ridiii}^-  a  colt,  not 
the  nineteen-year-old  vai'iety  with  which  he 
traveled  his  first  circuit,  but  a  genuine 
three-year-old,  with  all  the  fire  and  perverse- 
ness  of  its  kind.  It  might  also  be  in  order 
to  add,  by  way  of  parenthesis,  that  the  Illi- 
nois roads  after  the  rains  and  frosts  of  Sep- 
tember began  their  maneuvers,  were  no  re- 
si>ecters  of  new  clothes. 

Just  before  reaching  Prairie  Chapel,  the 
road  crossed  a.  slough  some  three  hundred 
feet  wide.  At  this  point  the  road  was  cov- 
ered by  about  three  feet  of  water,  or  per- 
haps, as  it  was  difficult  to  tell  just  where 
the  water  left  off  and  the  mud  began,  it 
would  be  more  exact  to  say  that  it  was  three 
feet  from  the  top  of  the  water  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  mud.  It  was  covered  with  a,  thin 
coating  of  ice.  Xewgent,  being  the  first  to 
pass  that  way  on  that  Sunday  morning,  had 
to  break  the  ice  as  he  went.  The  colt  did  not 
like  the  task  to  begin  with,  but  as  this  was 
the  only  road  to  the  church  and  was  fenced 
on  either  side  with  a  picket  fence,  a  straight- 
forward course  was  the  only  alternative. 

The  colt  proceeded  reluctantly  until  it 
reached  the  middle  of  the  slough.  There  it 
became  possessed  with  the  spirit  of  Balam's 
beast  and  refused  to  go  farther.  Its  pur- 
pose seemed  to  be  fixed  as  all  the  entreaties 
107 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

of  the  rider  were  unavailing.  The  church 
was  in  plain  view,  and,  like  the  wedding 
guest  of  Coleridge's  immortal  "Kinie,''  the 
preacher  could  see  and  hear  the  people  as 
they  were  assembling,  while  he  Avas  trans- 
fixed to  the  spot.  Finall}^  giving  up  hope 
of  going  forward,  he  tried  to  turn  the  colt's 
head  in  the  opposite  direction,  when,  lo,  he 
found  that  it  was  as  averse  to  turning  back 
as  it  was  to  going  forAvard.  Just  Avhat  the 
beast's  plan  for  the  future  was,  could  not 
well  be  divined,  for,  to  be  in  the  middle  of 
a  lake  Avith  no  purpose  of  going  either  for- 
ward or  backAvard  Avas,  to  say  the  least,  a 
})osition  difficult  to  explain  or  defend.  The 
final  bell  rang  for  the  morning  service,  and 
the  preacher  began  to  realize  that  his  repu- 
tation for  punctuality  was  in  danger  of  be- 
ing Avater-soaked.  A  final  desperate  effort 
Avas  made  to  induce  locomotion,  but  to  no 
avail. 

It  Avas  a  real  Slough  of  Despond.  The 
reverend's  heart  sank  to  the  bottom  of  his 
neAv  boots  when  he  found  that  his  onh' 
chance  was  to  dismount.  This  he  proceeded 
to  do,  supposing  that  he  could  at  least  lead 
the  beast  out  of  the  water.  The  Avater  was 
by  no  means  comfortable,  the  mud  filled  his 
boots,  and  apprehensive  thoughts  concern- 
ing the  unpresentable  appearance  he  Avould 
108 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

make  at  clmrcli,  aud  the  damage  beiiij;  done 
to  his  new  suit,  and  at  the  same  time  the 
humiliation  of  being  beaten  out  by  a  per- 
verse colt,  all  together  did  not  tend  to  a 
devotional  frame  of  mind. 

Taking  the  rein,  he  waded  forward,  ex- 
pecting the  colt  to  follow,  but  it  had  no  dis- 
position to  be  led ;  he  gave  the  rein  a  sharp 
pull,  but  the  animal  also  had  scruples 
against  being  pulled.  He  then  gave  the  rein 
a  jerk,  putting  all  of  his  physical  strength, 
and  possibly  a  bit  of  his  temper  into  the 
jerk,  when,  lo!  the  rein  broke,  and  the 
preacher,  not  thinking  of  such  a  contin- 
gency, went  splash  into  the  water,  being 
completely  submerged.  Things  were  rapidly 
going  from  bad  to  worse.  It  was  of  no  use 
under  the  circumstances,  to  try  to  maintain 
ministerial  dignity.  Gathering  himself  to- 
gether, he  made  his  way  to  the  fence,  and, 
loosing  a  picket,  ho  got  behind  the  animal, 
and  with  a  few  strokes  where  they  would  do 
the  most  good,  and  unministerial  maneu- 
vers, he  got  it  started,  and  by  an  aggressive 
follow-up  campaign,  they  reached  the  shore 
without  further  ceremony  or  delay. 

He  hastened  on  to  the  church.  The  peo- 
ple were  waiting  for  the  belated  pastor,  and 
when  he  arrived,  they  saw  at  once  there 
had  been  a  valid  excuse  for  his  tardiness. 
109 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

There  were  four  other  ministers  present, 
and  Newgent  tried  to  ejet  one  of  them  to 
preach  in  his  stead,  l)nt  all  declined.  So  he 
went  on  with  tlie  regular  program,  and 
preached  with  his  usual  zeal  while  the  water 
was  still  dripping-  from  his  new  suit.  It 
was  one  time  <at  least  when  the  couorega- 
tion  was  not  bored  with  a  dry  preacher. 

After  service  he  went  home  with  one  of 
his  members,  borrowed  some  dry  clothes, 
and  proceeded  to  fill  his  other  appointments 
for  the  day. 


110 


CriArTEu  Eight. 

The  New  Goshen  Pastorate — An  Old  Grudge  Healed 
— Dry  Bones  Revived — Memorable  Year  at  ''Dog- 
town"— "Death  in  the  Pot'— The  Hittites  Cap- 
tured—  The  "Jerks" — Other  Remarkable  Demon- 
strations— A  Rooster  in  the  Missionary  Collec- 
tion— First  Debate — Unpleasant  Sequel  to  a  Horse 
Trade. 

FolloAviiig  the  Vermilion  pastorate,  two 
years  were  spent  on  the  New  Goshen  Cir- 
enit  in  Vic^o  Connty,  Indiana.  This  cirrnit 
had  ranked  anion"-  the  hest  in  the  confer- 
ence, but  unfortunately  had  become  weak- 
ened and  desj)oiled  throniih  internal  dis- 
sension. A  chronic  grnd-ie  between  two  of 
the  most  prominent  members  had  leavened 
the  whole  lump  with  its  unsavory  effects.  It 
was  one  of  those  situations  that  afford  a 
pastor  a  splendid  opportunity  of  losino-  his 
ecclesiastical  scalp,  the  very  thing  that  ha])- 
pened  to  a  number  of  former  pastors  who 
undertook  to  heal  the  sore.  It  was  not  New- 
gent's  policy  to  take  a  hand  in  neighborhood 
broils,  or  to  break  to  the  woods  in  the  face 
of  such  contingencies,  but  ra,ther  to  "stand 
still  and  see  the  salvation  of  the  Lord." 

His  presiding  elder  told  him  that  his  first 
duty  on  going  to  the  circuit  would  be  to  get 
the  difficulty  adjusted.  It  was  suggested 
111 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

that  as  he  was  a  stranger  to  botli  parties, 
he  would  be  the  proper  one  to  do  it.  He  re- 
plied that  (lod  had  not  called  him  to  fix  up 
old  grudges  between  church  members,  but 
to  save  sinners. 

"But  unless  you  get  this  done/'  he  was 
told,  "you  had  as  well  not  go,  for  you  can 
never  accomplish  anything  until  the  diffi- 
culty is  removed.  He  said  he  Avould  not 
bother  the  old  grudge  directly,  aud  that  if 
there  were  sinners  who  wanted  salvation,  he 
was  sure  God  could  save  them  in  spite  of 
old,  grouchy  church  members.  He  pro- 
ceeded at  once  to  plan  a  revival  campaign. 
It  is  part  of  his  philosophy  that  if  a  pastor's 
first  revival  effort  is  a  success  it  begets  con- 
fidence on  the  part  of  the  people  and  paves 
the  way  for  other  victories.  It  is,  therefore, 
the  part  of  wisdom  to  choose  the  easiest 
place  to  begin  with.  Accordingly,  he  began 
a  meeting  in  the  latter  part  of  September 
at  the  Rose  Hill  class,  where  he  thought 
there  were  the  fewest  hindrances.  But  the 
people  were  still  busy  with  their  farm  work, 
and  with  the  old  trouble  still  visible  around 
the  edges,  producing  a  melancholy  Indian 
summer  effect,  he  had  very  little  encourage- 
ment. Two  weeks  passed  and  only  four  per- 
sons could  be  mustered  for  day  services.  He 
preached  to  this  quartet  of  faithful  souls, 
112 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

hold  prayer  and  (lass  meotings  with  them, 
and  ont'onragcnl  thcni  in  every  possible  way. 

"Tell  the  people  to  come,"  he  said  to  his 
little  band  one  day,  as  if  seized  with  a  sud- 
den revelati(m,  "for  we  are  going  to  have 
the  biggest  revival  they  have  ever  seen.  If 
yon  can't  tell  it  on  yonr  own  faith,  tell  them 
the  preacher  said  so."  They  jx'rhaps  half- 
way believed  what  he  said.  At  least  they 
did  as  they  were  nrgrMl,  and  the  crowd  was 
slightly  increased  tlie  next  day.  And  with 
that  service  the  revival  really  did  begin. 
The  prophecy  was  fulfilled.  It  was  by  far 
the  greatest  revival  the  ccmimunity  had 
ever  known,  abundantly  demonstrating  the 
preacher's  pliilosophy  that  when  folks  want 
salvation,  a  few  backslidden  church  mem- 
bers, even  with  their  bristles  up,  cannot  pre- 
vent them  from  getting  it. 

New  Goshen  Class  was  the  head  and  heart 
of  the  circuit,  likewise  the  seat  of  the 
trouble  that  had  been  its  thorn  in  tlie  flesh, 
Xewgent  proceeded  to  carry  out  his  policy 
of  capturing  the  outposts  before  storming 
this  stronghold  of  opposition.  The  plan 
worked  admirably.  Three  meetings  were 
held,  each  of  which  resulted  in  a  sweeping 
revival.  He  was  now  ready  for  the  Hercu- 
lean task,  the  final  cliarge.  New  Goshen  it- 
self! 

113 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

Here  it  was  .seen  how  God  moves  in  mys- 
terious ways,  using-  the  weali  things  to  con- 
found the  mighty.  Some  two  miles  from 
town  lived  a  family,  all  of  whom  were  ut- 
terly irreligious.  The  father  was  a  drunk- 
ard and  a  notably  rough  character.  The 
oldest  daugliter  was  an  invalid,  but  on 
learning  of  tlie  meeting,  she  was  taken  with 
a  keen  desire  to  attend.  So  she  went  to 
visit  with  a  family  wlio  lived  just  across 
the  street  from  the  church,  so  that  it  would 
be  convenient  for  her.  In  the  first  service 
she  atteudcHl,  slie  went  to  the  altar,  and  was 
not  there  long  until  she  fell  into  a  trance. 
This  was  repeated  the  second  and  third 
evenings.  One  of  her  brothers  was  present 
the  third  evening,  and  when  he  saw  his  sis- 
ter so  strangely  affected,  conviction  seized 
upon  him  so  intensely  that  he  likewise  fell 
over  in  an  unconscious  condition.  When  he 
"came  through''  he  was  a  new  creature  in 
Christ.  One  after  another  of  tliis  wicked 
family  was  taken  captive  by  the  power  of 
God  until  all  vrere  graciously  saved. 

By  this  time  the  church  began  to  rub  its 
eyes  and  take  notice.  The  dry  bones  were 
surely  beginning  to  sliake  and  show  signs 
of  life.  One  evening  as  the  power  of  God 
was  moving  upon  the  people,  the  two  breth- 
ren who  were  responsible  for  the  old  trouble 
114 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

ou  the  circuit,  were  seen  edging  toward  each 
otlier,  and  when  tliey  got  together,  they 
threw  their  arms  around  each  other's  necks 
and  wept  like  children.  The  mother  of  one 
of  the  men  was  pn^sent  nnd  when  she  saw 
what  was  taking  place,  she  sent  up  a  shout 
that  really  did  wake  the  dead — the  spirit- 
ually dead  of  the  congregation.  Walls  of 
opposition  suddenly  gave  way.  The  fire 
from  heaven  fell  as  it  fell  on  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah,  not  to  destroy,  but  to  wipe  out 
old  scores  and  to  make  men  and  women 
alive  to  God.  The  fortified  city  was  taken. 
The  victory  was  complete. 

During  this  pastorate  of  two  years,  over 
four  hundred  persons  were  added  to  the 
church. 

One  of  his  most  successful  and  memorable 
pastorates  was  that  on  the  Chai'lestown  Cir- 
cuit, in  Illinois.  The  circuit  had  a  very  un- 
savory reputation  at  the  time.  It  was  com- 
monly known  by  the  undignificxl  and  uncom- 
plimentary name  of  "Dogtown."  Newgent 
had  asked  to  be  sent  to  the  worst  charge  the 
conference  had,  and  the  reputation  of  Dog- 
town  made  this  a  matter  easily  determined. 
His  predecessor  had  been  egged  and  other- 
wise badly  handled. 

It  was  a  serious  question  with  the  con- 
ference as  to  whether  a  pastor  should  be 
115 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

appointed  to  it,  as  it  liad  ])i"ov('ii  itself  so 
iimvortliy.  liesirtes,  it  was  a  ]>r()positioii 
that  few  men  were  willino-  to  face,  Ne\vf>eut 
heinji;  the  only  aspirant  for  the  sitnation. 
The  salary  the  precedinp,-  year  was  |180,  and 
there  was  not  a  einirch  paper  taken  (»n  the 
entire  charoe. 

Dootown,  the  plaee  whicli  i;'ave  the  name 
and  largely  the  re])utation  to  the  cirenit, 
was  a  stra^olino-  village  noted  onh^  for  its 
o-eneral  cnssedness.  Xewgent  declared  that 
it  had  never  been  named  after  a  good  dog, 
bnt  more  likely  after  the  lowest  bred  cnr  in 
the  country.  The  name,  however,  Avas  parti- 
ally a  corruption  of  Diona,  by  whicli  name 
the  town  had  been  christened ;  but  the  appro 
l)riateness  of  the  former  name  was  soevident 
that  it  naturally  stuck,  and  the  original 
name  was  well  nigh  forgotten.  Though  the 
place  was  utterly  fallen  from  righteousness 
— if  it  ever  possesed  any — and  was  inclined 
to  evil  and  evil  only,  it  had  the  one  advan- 
tage of  being  Avell  churched.  Tt  had  two 
church-houses,  each  serving  as  the  home  for 
two  denominations.  Thus,  four  denomina- 
tions were  diligently  casting  their  pearls 
into  this  swine- wallow  only  to  have  them 
trampled  under  foot.  The  ^lethodists  and 
Baptists  occupied  one  house,  and  the  Cum- 
berland Presbyterians  and  United  Brethren 
116 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

tlio  otlici'.  Tlic.v  snirercd  no  inconvenience 
tlii*ou<;li  lack  of  i-ooni,  as  the  combined  meni- 
bersliip  of  the  foiu*  churches  numbered  only 
fourteen,  seven  of  whom  belonged  to  the 
United  Brethren. 

It  was  one  of  those  melancholy  days,  a 
Rnndny  afterno<m  in  September,  when  the 
new  circuit  rider  arrived  to  till  his  first  ap- 
pointment at  Dojitown.  Of  course  the  seven 
mend)ers  of  his  flock  were  present  to  take 
his  measure.  The  task  was  soon  done. 
They  were  crestfallen  when  they  saw  as 
their  spiritual  advisor  an  unpi'etentious, 
boyish-looking  fellow,  somewhat  below  the 
standard  size,  and  possessing  little  of  the 
air  and  dignity  and  gravity  of  a  ripe  circuit 
rider,  according  to  their  staid  notions.  The 
faithful  seven,  like  the  proverbial  birds  of 
a  feather,  occupied  a  portion  of  the  house 
to  tliemselves;  their  long  faces  turned  full 
upon  the  pastor,  added  to  the  melancholy  of 
that  autumn  afternoon.  Nor  did  the  small 
sprinkling  of  stray  sheep  throughout  the 
plain  old  building  serve  to  any  considerable 
extent  as  a  counter-irritant. 

Newgent  was  keeping  a  ''stiff  upper  lip'' 
as  he  introduced  the  services.  The  prelim- 
inary exercises  were  about  finished,  and  he 
was  about  to  begin  the  sermon ;  the  congre- 
gation was  droning  out  a  farailiao'  tune 
117 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

\\iien  a  raw,  strap])! iii;'  native  came  stalkino; 
in.  He  presented  a  unique  appearance.  He 
was  barefooted,  his  trousers  were  rolled  up 
to  his  knees,  he  wore  no  coat,  and  his 
checked  shirt  was  unbuttoned  at  the  collar. 
No  sooner  was  he  seated  than  another  in  ex- 
actly similar  manner  and  costume  followed. 
One  after  another  followed  until  upwards  in 
thirty  came  in,  all  dressed  exactly  alike,  and 
so  timing"  their  movements  as  to  give  time 
for  each  to  be  sesited  before  another  fol- 
lowed, making  tlie  procession  as  long  as 
possible — to  the  amusement  of  the  pastor 
and  the  stray  sheep,  and  tlie  utter  conster- 
nation of  the  faithful  seven. 

It  struck  the  witty  Irishman  at  once  that 
they  were  not  trying  to  install  him  as  tlie 
Presbyterians  do  their  pastors,  but  rather 
to  forestall  him  after  the  manner  of  Dog- 
town;  and  he  made  up  his  mind  not  to  be 
forestalled.  He  was  certain  they  did  not 
want  any  religion  and  he  had  no  religion  to 
throw  away.  He  had  his  subject  in  mind, 
but  he  thought  it  best  to  select  a  more  ap- 
propriate one.  Accordingly,  he  announced 
as  his  text,  "Oh,  man  of  God,  there  is  death 
in  the  pot."  He  talked  about  twenty  min- 
utes, putting  in  the  entire  time  telling  his 
funniest  stories,  and  pouring  in  one  broad- 
side after  another  of  his  Irish  wit  and 
118 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

linmor.  It  was  a  diplomatic  move.  All 
seemed  heartily  to  enjoy  the  "sermon,"  ex- 
(*e])t  the  seven  members  of  his  own  conj^reij^a- 
tion.  The  proceeding-  was  most  too  irrej?- 
nlar  for  their  conventional  tastes.  The 
members  of  his  uniformed  ii:uard  were  espe- 
cially delio-hted.  Ever^^  witticism  was 
<i:reeted  with  vociferous  applause,  by  the 
stampini^  of  their  bare  feet,  clapping  of 
hands,  and  unrc^strained,  boisterous  lauG^h- 
ter. 

"I  would  not  black  my  boots  to  liear  a 
lonp:,  dry  sermon,"  said  the  preacher  by 
way  of  conclusion.  "You  are  a  fine  looking 
set  of  fellows.  I  have  been  sent  by  the  con- 
ference to  preach  to  you,  and  I  am  sure  we 
will  get  along  well  together.  Now,  if  you 
see  me  at  any  time  looking  hungry,  or  if  it 
is  near  night,  take  me  in.  I  am  an  Irish- 
man and  easily  pleased.  And  if  I  see  any 
of  you  near  my  home,  I  will  treat  you  the 
same.  But,  gentlemen,  I  have  the  most 
beautiful  little  wife  you  ever  set  eyes  on. 
Now,  I  expect  to  bring  her  with  me  the  next 
time,  and  you  must  be  sure  to  ])ut  your  boots 
on  and  fix  up  a  little." 

^Yhen  he  dismissed  he  went  back  among 
this  raw  element,  shaking  hands  and  talk- 
ing freely  with  each  one.  ^lucli  of  his  time 
between  that  and  the  next  appointment  was 
119 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

spent  stiulyiui;'  "iiiiscliicf" — loading;  up  for 
the  next  discharge.  His  second  talk  was 
even  more  liiiniorous  than  tlie  first,  havinjjj 
been  prepared  especially  for  the  crowd  and 
the  occasion.  In  the  meantime  his  fame  had 
been  spread  broa<lcast,  and  an  immense 
crowd  was  jjresent  to  see  and  hear  the  "wild 
Irishman/'  xV  number  were  congregatcHl  at 
the  door  for  the  purpose  of  greeting  him 
upon  his  ai-rival  at  the  church. 

At  the  third  appointment  he  had  an  over- 
flow crowd.  As  he  was  walking  down  the 
aisle  to  the  jnilpit,  a  brother  whom  he  recog- 
nized as  one  of  the  true  and  blue  seven  of 
the  first  servic(v,  plucked  him  aside  and 
whispered : 

"Parson,  you've  got  'em.  You're  the 
smartest  feller  that  ever  struck  this  place. 
These  fellers  say  you've  got  to  have  order  if 
they  have  to  fight  for  it." 

"That's  what  I've  been  fishing  for,"  said 
Newgent.  He  began  a  revival  at  this  time. 
Ere  long  the  great,  rough  fellows  who 
laughed  so  heartily  at  his  jokes  were  crowd- 
ing to  the  mourner's  bench,  shedding  tears 
of  penitence,  crying  for  mercy,  and  piercing 
the  air  with  shouts  of  victory  as  one  after 
another  emerged  into  the  light  and  liberty 
of  God's  children.  A  marvelous  work  was 
wrought  in  that  sin-polluted  community.  As 

120 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

tlie  lives  of  tlioso  liardy  bnckwoodsnion  wore 
transformed  by  the  power  of  Christ,  they 
hecanie  as  potent  for  ri<>hteousness  as  tliey 
had  been  for  evil.  Just  hoAv  many  were  con- 
verted could  not  be  definitely  ascertained. 
One  hnn(lre<l  sixty-one  members  were  added 
to  the  United  Brethren  Chnrcli,  besides 
those  that  joined  the  other  churches  of  the 
town. 

There  was  an  appointment  some  few  miles 
from  Doo'town  named  liberty.  It  was  prac- 
tically dead  as  a  church,  there  beinj^  but 
five  names  on  the  roll,  and  they  represented 
very  little  in  spiritual  assets.  He  beo-au  a 
revival  campaign  here  immediately  follow- 
ing* the  meeting  in  town,  which  proved  even 
more  far-reaching  in  its  results.  He  has  al- 
ways regarded  it  as  the  most  remarkable 
revival  in  his  entire  ministry.  The  power 
of  God  in  the  conviction  of  sinners  was  ir- 
resistible. Strong  men  and  women  were 
stricken  unconscious  in  almost  every  serv- 
ice. As  many  as  fifty  persons  could  be 
counted  lying  in  an  unconscious  condition 
at  one  time. 

A  peculiar  feature  of  this  revival  was  the 
presence  of  that  strange,  nervous  phenome- 
non among  the  people,  known  as  the  "jerks." 
Tliis  ptrange  manifestation  prevailed  in 
many  of  the  early  revivals  where  unusual 

121 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

power  was  displayed.  It  was  especially 
prevalent  in  Axliat  is  known  as  the  threat 
Cumberland  revival  ^^]li(•ll  swept  over  the 
eastern  part  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee. 
Whatever  the  explanation  of  this  phenom- 
enon, it  usually  accompanied  a  deep  emo- 
tional state,  saints  and  sinners  alike  being 
subject  to  it.  The  mystery  of  it  and  the  fact 
that  it  often  became  (piite  violent,  especially 
on  persons  who  resisted  the  influence  of  the 
meetings,  gave  it  much  weight  in  these  early 
revivals.  Peter  Cartwright,  in  his  Avell- 
known  autobiography,  describes  the  physi- 
cal effects  of  the  jerks  as  follows : 

"No  matter  whether  they  were  saints  or 
sinners,  they  would  be  taken  under  a  warm 
song  or  sermon,  and  seized  with  a  convul- 
sive jerking  all  over,  which  tliey  could  not 
by  any  possibility  avoid,  aud  the  more  they 
resisted,  the  more  they  jerked.  If  they 
would  not  strive  against  it  and  would  pray 
in  good  earnest,  the  jerking  would  usually 
abate.  I  have  seen  more  than  five  hundred 
persons  jerking  at  one  time  in  any  large 
congregation.  Most  usually  persons  taken 
with  the  jerks,  to  obtain  relief,  would  rise 
up  and  dance.  Some  would  run  but  could 
not  get  away.  Some  would  resist;  on  such 
tbe  jerks  were  usually  very  severe." 

12? 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

The  iiieotiiiii,-  was  accompnnicd  hy  a  vari- 
ety of  s])iritiial  (U'liioiisl  rat  ions,  reinarkahh? 
holh  ill  (lieir  character  and  extent.  It  was 
entirely  heyoud  Inimaii  control.  It  contin- 
ued four  months,  day  and  nij^ht.  ]Most  of 
the  time  there  was  no  preachin<»-,  for  there 
was  no  opportunity  for  a  sermon,  and  none 
was  needed.  The  peo])l('  would  gather,  sink- 
ing and  shoutiufj;  as  tliey  came,  and  the  sin,<»- 
ing,  shouting,  and  praying  would  continue 
spontaneously.  Penitents  would  go  to  the 
altar  without  an  invitation,  often  as  soon  as 
they  arrived. 

The  entire  community  was  charged  with 
a  peculiar  spiritual  atmosphere,  the  limit  of 
which  seemed  distinctly  drawn.  It  was 
termed  the  "dead  line.''  On  reaching  this 
line  the  individual,  whether  a  Christian  or 
not,  would  at  once  be  seized  with  intense 
religious  emotion.  On  pavssing  out  of  this 
region  the  change:  was  as  distinctly  felt  as 
on  entering  it. 

So  great  was  the  interest  in  the  surround- 
ing country  that  six  schools  were  closed. 
One  teacher  sent  to  the  church  for  help. 
Some  brethren  went  to  see  what  w^as  the 
matter,  and  found  the  entire  school  practi- 
cally prostrate  with  conviction.  School  was 
turned  into  prayer  meeting.  A  cumber,  in- 
123 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

eluding  tlie  tonclu'r,  were  eonverted,  and 
school  was  indefinitely  snspended. 

The  pulpit  and  i)latform  were  smashed 
into  kindlin.o-  wood  at  one  of  the  services. 
People  i)erfornied  physical  feats  utterly 
impossible  under  ordinary  circumstances, 
such  as  walking-  across  the  house  on  the 
backs  of  the  pews  with  their  faces  turned 
straight  upward.  Late  one  night  after  the 
service  had  closed,  a  family  in  the  neighbor- 
hood heard  singing  in  tlie  direction  of  the 
church.  Not  knowing  what  it  meant,  they 
investigated.  But  on  approaching  the 
church  they  noticed  that  the  singing  was 
overhead  as  if  produced  by  an  invisible 
choir  in  the  upper  air. 

Whatever  question  may  enter  the  mind  as 
to  the  nature  of  these  phenomena,  there  is 
no  question  as  to  the  genuineness  of  the 
work  of  grace  wrought  in  that  section  of 
country.  It  was  swept  as  completely  by  the 
revival  as  a  prairie  is  swept  by  fire.  And 
the  effects  were  abiding,  even  the  more  ex- 
traordinary forms  of  spiritual  fervor  con- 
tinuing indefinitely. 

This  was  a  season  of  strenuous  physical 
activity  on  the  part  of  Rev.  Mr.  Newgent. 
This  meeting  lasted  four  months,  and  for 
three  months  in  addition  he  was  in  revival 
meetings  continuously. 

124 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

From  being  the  worst  circuit  in  the  con- 
ference, Doijtown  suddenly  became  the  best. 
It  reported  the  largest  salary.  And  tliat 
year  it  led  the  entire  denomination  in  the 
nund)er  of  church  papers  taken.  Prizes 
Avere  otTered  by  the  ])ublisher  for  the  larjj^est 
clul)  in  any  conference,  and  also  a  sweep- 
stakes i)rize  for  the  largest  club  in  the 
riiurcli.  Newjient  won  both  the  conference 
and  the  sweepstakes  prize,  which  was  the 
more  remarkable  when  we  recall  that  there 
was  not  a  paper  taken  on  the  charge  when 
he  was  appointed  to  it. 

Near  the  close  of  his  memorable  meeting 
at  Dogtown,  he  announced  that  he  would 
take  a  missionary  offering  the  following- 
Sunday,  and  urged  the  people  to  come  pre- 
])ared.  The  missionary  meeting  was  full  of 
enthusiasm,  as  all  his  meetings  were  when 
a  collection  was  involved.  As  he  was  ex- 
horting the  congregation  to  give  freely  to 
send  the  gospel  to  the  heathen,  the  door 
opiMied  and  a.  boy  bearing  in  his  arms  a.  large 
rooster  came  walking  down  the  aisle.  As  an 
evidence  that  tlie  old-time  Dogtown  spirit 
was  not  wholly  dead,  some  mischievous  fel- 
lows planned  to  have  some  fun  at  the 
preacher's  expense  by  putting  a  rooster  in 
the  missionary  collection.  The  bird  was  not 
only  large,  but  also  quite  game,  and  was 
125 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

almost  too  much  for  the  lad  who  was  to 
do  the  presentation  act  in  hehalf  of  the 
•ianji'.  As  he  i)i'oc(HMled  toward  the  pnl})it, 
his  courage  l)e<>an  to  fail  and  he  hesitated, 
possibly  waitini^:  to  see  Avhat  sort  of  effect 
he  was  prodncinc:.  The  preacher  took  in 
the  situation  at  a  glance. 

"Come  on,"  he  said  to  the  half-frightened 
lad,  ''I'm  the  fellow  who  likes  chicken." 

With  this  encouragement  the  boy  w^ent 
forward  and  placed  his  gift  in  the  hands  of 
the  preacher,  who  received  it  smilingly  and 
thanked  him  for  his  generous  contribution 
to  the  missionary  cause.  He  asked  one  of 
the  brethren  in  the  "amen  corner"  to  care 
for  his  charge  wdiile  he  finished  the  service. 
He  kept  the  rooster  until  fall  and  took  it 
to  the  annual  conference.  In  presenting  his 
report,  he  related  the  incident  and  asked  in 
a  jocular  vein  Avhat  should  be  done  with  the 
rooster.  A  dignified,  sober-minded  brother 
moved  that  the  rooster  be  sold  and  the  pro- 
ceeds be  reported  to  the  missionary  fund, 
and  that  the  undignified  proceedings  be 
closed.    The  motion  carried. 

"All  right,"  said  the  wiley  Irishman,  as- 
suming the  pose  of  an  auctioneer,  "how^ 
much  am  I  offered  for  the  rooster?  How 
much  do  I  hear?  How  much?"  Some  one 
ventured  a  bid.    "Sold,"  said  the  preacher- 

126 


A   I  niqiie    Missionary  ORerinjJ 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

auctioneer  aiiiid  a  roar  of  laughter,  and  the 
conference  proceeded  to  more  serious  mat- 
ters. 

It  was  on  this  charge  that  he  had  his  first 
debate.  His  popularity  and  success  in  win- 
ning converts  led  to  a  challenge  from  a 
brother  in  the  Christian  (Disciples)  church, 
who  was  then  serving  as  pastor  at  Charles- 
town,  Illinois.  The  (|uestion  discussed  was 
the  divinity  of  Christ.  Xewgent  took  the 
positive  position,  aftirming  that  "Christ  is 
the  very  and  eternal  Cod  apai't  from  his 
human  nature."  Tlie  debate  was  held  at 
Salisbury,  Illinois,  creating  a  great  deal  of 
interest  and  attracting  a  large  crowd.  That 
the  contest  resulted  in  an  easy  victory  for 
our  subject  was  attested  by  the  fact  that  he 
received  an  offer  from  the  elders  of  his  op- 
ponent's church  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars 
a  year  to  become  their  pastor,  which,  at  that 
time,  was  considered  an  enormous  sum. 

"I  would  not  preach  ^our  doctrine  for 
fifteen  hundred  dollars  a  year,"  he  said,  "to 
say  nothing  of  losing  my  time  and  self- 
respect." 

"We  are  not  asking  you  to  preach  the  doc- 
trine," they  said,  "all  we  ask  is  that  you 
become  our  pastor;  you  are  at  liberty  to 
preach  your  own  convictions.''  But  he  was 
not  on  the  market. 

127 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

Another  interesting  experience  during 
this  pastorate  came  as  the  sequel  to  a  horse 
trade.  One  of  his  ueigld)ors,  a  brother  in 
the  Chui'ch,  coveted  his  tine  driving  horse, 
and  bantered  Iniii  for  a  tra(h\  "I  have  the 
very  horse  you  need,"  lie  nrg(Ml,  and  offered 
what  seemed  to  be  a  fair  bargain.  And 
after  the  usual  ceremonies  and  prelim- 
inaries, the  deal  was  pulled  off. 

The  next  day  being  Sunday,  the  pastor 
hitched  up  his  new  horse  early,  and  taking 
his  wife  and  babe,  started  for  his  appoint- 
ment. The  animal  soon  showed  signs  of 
treachery,  arousing  the  suspicions  of  its 
owner,  but  they  went  on.  They  got  on  quite 
well  until  they  came  to  a  low  swale  in  the 
road  over  which  the  water  stood  several  in- 
ches deep.  When  they  were  about  half- 
way across,  the  horse  stopped  and  looked 
back  to  see  if  they  were  coming.  But  they 
had  also  stopped.  Newgent,  who  had  some 
knowledge  of  ''horseology,"  saw  that  they 
were  in  for  it.  It  being  a  warm,  summer 
day,  an  innumerable  multitude  of  mosqui- 
toes soon  collected  to  express  their  sympa- 
thy and  to  <livert  the  attention  of  the  un- 
fortunate family  from  their  troubles. 

"Here's  a  chance  to  show  that  w^e  can 
keep  sweet,"  said  the  preacher  to  his  wife, 
"even  under  trying  circumstances." 

128 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

The  circumstances  were  indeed  trying, 
for  he  spent  a  couple  of  hours  trying  to 
argue  the  horse  out  of  his  position,  but  the 
horse  was  not  open  to  conviction.  At  the 
same  time  he  was  making  a  desperate  effort 
to  keep  sweet,  wliich,  witli  the  mosquitoes 
diligently  plying  their  trade — as  it  was  too 
goofl  a  business  opportunity  for  them  to  let 
pass —  and  the  hour  for  the  monaing  serv- 
ice passing,  was  not  as  easy  a.  task  as  it 
would  have  been  under  less  trying  circum- 
stances. 

"Well,-'  lie  finally  said  to  his  wife,  sweetly, 
"we  are  going  out  of  here." 

"When?"  was  her  meek  reply. 

"Just  as  soon  as  possible."  And  remov- 
ing his  boots  and  some  other  parts  of  wear- 
ing apparel  that  could  be  temporarily  dis- 
pensed with,  he  got  out  of  the  buggy  and 
carried  the  baby  to  a  dry  place.  He  then 
removed  his  wife  to  the  shore,  after  which 
he  proceeded  to  unhitch  the  horse  from  the 
buggy,  or  rather  to  unhitch  the  buggy  from 
the  horse,  as  the  buggy  was  movable  and  the 
horse  was  not.  A  strategic  plan  vras  then 
inaugurated  by  making  a  natural  appeal  to 
tlie  animal's  stubbornness.  This  vras  done 
by  hitching  the  horse  to  the  rear  axle-tree  of 
the  buggy,  which  proved  a.  decided  success, 
at  least  to  the  extent  of  getting  both  the 

129 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

horse  and  l)u_o-oy  out  of  the  water.  Newgeiit 
then  hitched  up  according  to  the  conven- 
tional style,  and  with  his  family  started 
homeward  in  deep  meditation.  He  filled  no 
appointment  that  day.  lie  found  it  dillicult 
to  see  the  point  in  his  neighbor's  argument 
that  "this  was  the  very  horse  he  needed,'' 
unless  it  was  to  stimulate  the  grace  of  pa- 
tience, which  is  a  much-needed  quality  in  a 
])reac]ier.  Since  then  he  has  stoutly  main- 
tained that  it  is  a  bad  thing  for  a  preacher 
to  swap  horses — unless  he  is  sure  he  can 
make  a  better  trade. 


130 


Chai'tkr  Nine. 

Labors  at  Mattoon,  Illinois — A  Persistent  Campaign 
and  a  Gieat  Victory — Second  Neic  Goshen  Pas- 
torate— A  Coincidence — Success  at  Prairicton — 
Laboring  in  the  Shadotv — The  Death  of  Mrs. 
Newgent — A  Bishop's   Tribute  to  her  Character. 

The  scene  of  his  next  labors  was  Mattoon, 
Illinois.  This  was  a  city  of  some  ten  thou- 
sand inhabitants.  It  had  been  marked  by 
a  mushroom  orowth,  having  sprung  from  a 
small  village  within  a  few  years.  ^lore  at- 
tention, however,  had  been  given  to  its  ma- 
terial development  than  to  its  moral  and  re- 
ligious welfare.  It  had  eleven  churches,  but 
what  members  they  had,  were  received 
mostly  by  letter.  Like  the  city  itself,  the 
churches  were  made  up  of  a  conglomeration 
of  heterogeneous  elements.  All  were  lack- 
ing in  efficient  organization,  stability,  and 
vital  godliness. 

IJev.  Mr.  Newgent's  church,  the  United 
Brethren,  like  most  of  the  others,  was  new 
in  the  city.  It  had  but  twelve  members 
when  he  took  charge.  He  at  once  conceived 
the  idea  of  enlisting  the  various  churches  in 
a  great  and  much-needed  revival  campaign. 
He  met  tlie  local  pastors  and  proposed  that 
all  join  in  a  concerted,  evangelistic  effort — 
131 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

each  to  begin  a  meeting  in  his  own  church 
on  the  same  date  and  continue  until  victory 
Nvas  achieved.  The  plan  was  unanimously 
agreed  to,  and  on  Xew  Year's  Day  the  cam- 
paign began. 

It  was  a  stubborn  fight.  Tlie  bombard- 
ment was  kept  up  by  all  the  churches 
through  the  entire  month  of  January  with 
no  apparent  results.  One  after  another  of 
the  pastors  then  became  discouraged  and 
hauled  down  his  colors.  By  the  end  of  Feb- 
ruai'y  all  the  batteries  had  ceased  except 
two,  one  of  them  being  Newgent's.  Some  of 
his  members,  convinced  of  the  utter  futility 
of  the  effort,  counseled  him  to  quit.  But  he 
was  determined  to  fight  it  out  on  that  line 
if  it  took  all  summer;  and  it  looked  as 
though  it  might  take  several  summers.  The 
largest  congregation  he  had  during  those 
two  months  numbered  twenty-four. 

AMth  the  beginning  of  the  third  month 
there  were  unmistakable  evidences  of  a 
thaw.  Interest  was  awakened,  congrega- 
tions increased,  and  on  the  fifth  day  of 
March  the  ice  gave  way  completely.  At  the 
morning  service  the  altar  was  crowded  with 
anxious  penitents,  and  twenty-one  were  gra- 
ciously converted.  The  news  was  heralded 
throughout  the  city.  It  v>-as  as  tliough  a 
mighty  miracle  had  been  wrought.  New- 
132 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

•jent's  clmn-li  IxH-anic  the  center  of  intense 
interest,  the  subject  of  conversation  in  the 
stores  and  sliops  and  on  the  streets.  At 
niji'ht  it  secMued  as  if  all  Mattoon  was  seized 
with  51  sudden  imi)nlse  to  cjo  to  church.  The 
house  was  fdled  lon^-  before  the  appointed 
hour  for  worship,  and  the  sexton  reported 
that  over  five  hundred  people  were  turned 
away.  The  few  days  following-  witnessed 
stirrini»-  scenes  in  that  church.  Multitudes 
were  converted;  no  definite  account  could 
be  taken  of  tlieir  number.  One  hundred  and 
twenty-eio-ht  niend)ers  were  added  to  the 
United  Brethren  Church,  and  other  churches 
of  the  city  profited  largely  from  the  fruits 
of  the  meeting-.  It  was  the  first  genuine 
revival  ^lattoon  had  ever  enjoyed. 

''What  I  lacked  in  sense,  I  made  up  in 
holding  on,"  was  Rev.  Mr.  Newgent's  modest 
comment  on  the  situation.  But  in  this  case 
holding  on  was  only  in  keeping  with  his 
usual  good  judgment.  It  was  a  case  where 
not  only  prayer  and  fasting,  but  also  perse- 
verance were  required.  Perseverance,  how- 
ever, is  one  of  his  strong  points.  As  a  pas- 
tor he  made  it  a  rule  to  continue  a  meeting 
until  success  was  realized,  a  rule  that  sel- 
dom had  to  be  waived. 

His  labors  at  Mattoon  were  followed  by 
a  pastorate  of  two  years  on  the  New  Goshen 
133 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

charge,  making,  with  a  forniei'  pastorate  of 
the  same  length,  an  aggregate  of  four  years 
of  pastoral  services  on  this  field.  During 
these  four  years  he  received  over  six  hun- 
dred members  into  the  C'hurch  and  built  two 
church-houses.  His  work  here  was  also 
made  memorable  by  what  might  be  termed 
his  first  great  debate,  the  details  of  which 
are  reserved  for  the  next  chapter. 

The  year  following  was  a  dark  year  in 
his  experience,  nuide  so  by  the  failure  of  his 
wife's  health,  which  resulted  in  her  death. 
He  was  serving  the  Prairieton  charge,  a 
charge  he  had  served  some  years  before. 
His  labors  here  were  attended  by  the  usual 
success — gracious  revivals,  increased  spir- 
itual life  and  activity,  churches  tlirilled  with 
new  zeal  and  power.  A  coincidence  worth 
noting  in  this  connection  is  that  his  two 
terms  of  service  on  this  field  resulted  in  an 
equal  number  of  accessions  to  the  Church, 
203  in  each  case.  "I  do  not  think,"  he 
quaintly  remarked  concerning  his  second 
pastorate,  "that  these  were  the  same  203 
that  I  received  when  I  was  there  before." 
The  sorr}^  experiences  of  many  pastors  with 
vacillating  church  members  occasioned  and 
justified  the  remark. 

A  great  meeting  at  Prairieton  stirred  up 
the  congregation  and  led  to  the  rebuilding 
134 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

of  their  church.  It  Avas,  however,  a  great 
struggh'.  The  cJnircli  was  not  strong  finan- 
cially, and  the  task  almost  overtaxed  their 
resources.  Uvv.  ^Ir.  Newgent  lahored  un- 
ceasingly to  iHill  the  enterprise  through  to  a 
successful  consummation,  contributing  of 
his  own  scanty  means  over  three  hundred 
dollars,  which  necessitated  the  selling  of 
some  of  his  household  goods. 

And  now,  to  add  to  his  already  heavy  bur- 
dens, came  that  which  for  some  time  had 
been  recognized  as  inevitable,  and  under 
the  dee])  shadow  of  which  he  had  been  labor- 
ing with  a  heavy  heart — the  death  of  his 
companion.  "Kitty"  Newgent,  as  she  was 
affectionately  called  by  her  husband  and  in- 
timate friends,  was  never  strong  in  body, 
and  for  many  months  she  had  lingered  near 
the  land  of  shadows.  On  the  day  set  for 
the  dedication  of  the  church,  for  the  success 
of  which  they  both  prayed  and  toiled  and 
struggled  so  heroically,  she  passed  triumph- 
antly to  her  heavenly  home.  "Her  sun  went 
down  while  it  was  yet  day." 

She  died  about  eight  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing. Bishop  Jonathan  Weaver,  who  had 
been  secured  to  dedicate  the  church,  was  on 
the  ground  for  that  purpose.  When  it  was 
learned  that  the  pastor's  wife  had  passed 
away,    the    Bishop    and    members    of    the 

135 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

church  suggested  that  the  dedicatory  serv- 
ices be  iwstpoued.  But  as  she  had  helped 
to  phm  the  dny'a  program,  and  was  so  anx- 
ious for  the  success  of  the  occasion,  Kev. 
]Mr.  Xewgent  urged  that  the  plans  be  car- 
ried out.  So  the  ])rogram  of  the  day  was 
carried  out  tenderly  and  lovingly,  the 
church  set  apart  to  the  worship  of  Almighty 
God,  v>hile  he  and  his  three  motherless  lit- 
tle ones  remained  in  their  sad  home  by  the 
silent  form  of  the  precious  wife  and  mother. 
I5ishop  Weaver  renmined  to  conduct  her 
funeral.  The  following  account  and  worthy 
tribute  from  his  gifted  pen  was  published 
at  the  time  in  the  Religious  Telescope,  the 
official  organ  of  the  United  Brethren 
Church : 

"Some  time  ago  I  arranged  with  Brother 
Newgent  of  the  Prairieton  Circuit,  Lower 
Wabash  Conference,  to  attend  the  dedica- 
tion of  a  church  on  his  field  of  labor.  Ac- 
cordingly I  left  home  on  Saturday,  June  13, 
and  reached  Prairieton  late  in  the  evening. 
Upon  my  arrival  there  I  learned  that 
Brother  Newgent's  wife  was  very  ill;  yet  I 
supposed  she  might  recover.  Sunday  morn- 
ing the  bell  tolled  and  I  knew  that  some  one 
had  passed  away.  I  imnu^diately  started  for 
Brother  Newgent's  home,  and  on  reaching 
it  learned  that  his  Avife  had  just  died.  It 
136 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

was,  indeed,  a.  sad  sight.  For  seventeen  years 
they  had  shared  the  sacrifices  and  trials  in- 
cident to  tlie  life  of  an  itinerant.  Now  he 
was  left  with  the  care  of  three  little  children 
to  fight  the  battles  of  life  alone.  Brother 
Newgcnt,  as  he  is  wont  to  do,  labored  hard 
to  get  the  church  in  readiness  for  dedica- 
tion, anticipating  a  good  time.  Bnt  it  was 
a  sad  day.  We  attended  to  the  service  and 
dedicated  the  church  with  feelings  of  deep 
sympathy  for  the  pastor,  who,  with  his  lit- 
tle ones,  sat  beside  the  earthly  remains  of 
a  beloved  wife. 

"Sister  Newgent  was  a  patient,  kind- 
hearted  Christian  woman.  She  had  been  in 
delicate  health  for  a  number  of  years,  but 
neither  murmured  nor  complained.  And 
when  the  end  came,  she  quietly  fell  asleep 
in  Jesus,  On  account  of  her  delicate  health. 
Brother  Newgent,  for  a  number  of  years, 
seldom  remained  away  from  home  over 
night,  rie  would  fill  his  appointment  and 
ride  home  after  services.  But  no  matter 
how  late  at  night  he  would  return,  he  would 
always  find  a  liglit  burning,  and  usually 
she  would  sit  up  until  he  returned.  But  the 
light  is  gone  out — no,  it  is  burning  still. 
'There's  a  light  in  the  "window  for  thee, 
brother.'  " 


137 


Chapter  Ten. 

First  Great  Debate — The  Debate  as  an  Institution — 
The  Challenge — Opponents  get  Weak-K7ieed,  Pro- 
longing Maneuvers — A  Hungry  Multitude  Unfed 
— Battle  Begins — Questions  Discussed — An  Im- 
provised Creed  for  his  Opponent — A  Premature 
Baptism — An  Opponent's  Tribute  to  his  Oenius — 
Croicning  the  Victor. 

In  the  earlier  days  of  the  church  ppreat 
stress  was  hiid  upon  matters  of  doctrine. 
Mooted  theological  questions  occasioned 
much  controversy^  among  the  "brethren." 
Preachers  gave  special  attention  to  the  par- 
ticular tenets  of  their  respective  churches, 
often  decrjing  with  heavy  hearts  the  doc- 
trinal shortcomings  of  sister  denominations. 
While  this  was  a,  faidt  of  the  times  which 
a  broader  Christian  spirit  is  overcoming,  yet 
it  had  its  compensating  features.  In  an  age 
of  controversy  it  became  every  man  to  have 
some  knowledge,  not  only  of  his  own  church, 
but  also  of  other  churches.  It  is  a  fact  that 
people  generally  were  better  informed  on 
doctrinal  lines  than  in  these  latter  days 
when  the  church  is  swinging  so  near  the  op- 
posite extreme.  The  doctrinal  sermon  was 
then  the  order  of  the  day,  while  now  it  is 
the  rare  exception. 

The  public  debate  was  a  popular  means 
of  testing  the  merits  of  rival  religious  sys- 
138 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

terns,  though  in  reality  it  was  more  a  test 
of  the  men  engaged  than  of  their  theology. 
Nor  was  the  debate  confined  to  matters  re- 
ligious. Its  field  was  unlimited.  In  pol- 
itics it  was  a  favorite  method  of  testing 
political  issues  and  lexiders,  and  of  spread- 
ing political  information.  The  great  Lin- 
coln-Douglas debate  is  a  notable  instance. 
Hence,  while  it  has  lost  prestige  somewhat, 
the  debate  once  was  an  honorable  and 
powerful  institution.  The  victor  in  such 
a  contest  was  regarded  much  as  the  ancient 
Greeks  regarded  the  winners  in  the  Olym- 
pian games.  And  he  was  greatly  in  demand 
to  defend  the  doctrines  of  his  church  against 
their  adversaries.  Every  pastor  needed  to 
cultivate  the  debating  faculty  to  some  ex- 
tent, at  least,  for  self -protection,  just  as  it 
was  necessary  for  the  early  New  Englanders 
to  carr}'  their  guns  with  them  to  church. 

It  was  during  Rev.  Mr.  Newgent's  second 
pastorate  at  New  Goshen  that  he  had  his 
first  great  debate,  and  was  thrust  by  force  of 
circumstances  into  the  debating  arena. 
Among  his  numerous  converts  were  a  large 
number  who  held  the  faith  enunciated  by 
the  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell,  and  com- 
monly designated  as  "Campbellites."  This 
stirred  the  controversial  fires,  and  in  conse- 
quence he  received  a  challenge  from  mem- 
139 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

bers  of  that  body  to  (le])ate  publicly  certain 
questions  on  which  the  two  churches  were, 
perhaps,  more  content  to  differ  than  to 
agree. 

He  was  quite  content  to  promulgate  his 
faith  in  the  ordinary  way,  feeling  that  the 
results  of  his  work  were  sufficient  proof  of 
the  genuineness  of  his  theology.  Hence,  he 
sought  to  avoid  being  pressed  into  this  sort 
of  contest,  even  proposing  to  secure  a  man 
to  represent  his  church.  But  they  regarded 
him  as  the  high  priest  of  his  profession,  and 
as  they  had  suffered  at  his  hands,  they  de- 
manded that  lie  represent  his  side  in  per- 
son. Seeing  there  was  no  honorable  w^ay  of 
escape,  he  reluctantly  consented,  and  pre- 
liminaries were  arranged. 

His  opponent  was  a  Rev.  ^Ir.  Price.  The 
place  selected  was  a  beautiful  grove  near 
the  village  of  West  Liberty,  Vigo  County, 
Indiana.  A  vast  throng  of  people  were 
present  the  day  the  debate  was  to  open.  But 
they  were  doomed  to  disappointment.  Just 
as  they  were  getting  ready  to  begin,  repre- 
sentatives from  the  opposition  approached 
Rev.  ]Mr.  Newgent  and  asked  if  they  might 
be  permitted  to  let  the  Rev.  William  Holt, 
D.D.,  champion  their  side  instead  of  Mr. 
Price.  Doctor  Holt  was  a  recognized  giant 
among  the  Campbellites.  He  was  a  veteran 
140 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

of  thirty-two  battles  in  the  debating  field, 
and  was  one  of  the  foremost  expounders  of 
the  tenets  of  his  church. 

Whether  or  not  it  was  the  wish  of  Mr. 
Price  to  be  relieved,  it  was  quite  evident 
that  there  wa>s  a  lack  of  confidence  some- 
where. At  any  rate  the  opposition  felt 
more  secure  with  their  cause  committed  to 
the  hands  of  their  great  captain,  armed,  as 
he  was,  with  education  and  eloquence,  and 
skilled  in  the  art  and  science  of  debate.  All 
felt  that  it  was  to  be  a  great  contest,  sig- 
nificant in  its  results,  and  that  no  chances 
should  be  taken. 

Kev.  Mr.  Newgent  consented  to  the 
change  on  condition  that  the  debate  be  post- 
poned a  couple  of  months  to  afford  time  for 
further  preparation.  The  condition  was 
accepted,  and  the  multitudes  were  sent  away 
hungry,  disappointed,  and  dejected.  The 
responsibilty  was  thrown  upon  the  Canip- 
bellites,  as  their  unwillingness  to  let  Mr. 
Price  champion  their  side  was  the  cause  of 
the  postponement.  For  the  Irish  circuit 
rider  it  was  a  diplomatic  stroke,  a  bloodless 
victory  to  begin  with. 

The  two  months  were  well  spent  by  Rev. 

Mr.  Newgent  in  preparation  for  this  greater 

contest.   The  delay  only  seemed  to  increase 

popular  interest  in   the  affair;  and  when 

141 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

they  ap;aiii  met,  the  crowd  was  even  larger 
than  before.  The  discussions  consumed 
eleven  days.  However,  the  time  was  divided 
into  two  sections  with  an  interveninji;  period 
of  four  or  five  weeks.  It  was  estimated 
that  from  eij^ht  tliousand  to  ten  thousand 
people  attended  daily  throuiihout,  anionic 
them  beinfij  a  lar^e  number  of  ministers  of 
various  denominations.  Six  boarding  tents 
did  a  thriving  business.  In  fact,  the  debate 
was  the  great  event  of  the  year.  A  political 
campaign  could  not  have  created  more  in- 
terest and  excitement. 

The  discussions  covered  six  propositions, 
as  follows : 

1.  The  church  of  which  I,  William  Holt, 
am  a  member,  is  identical  in  doctrine  and 
practice  with  the  Church  of  Christ,  as  re- 
vealed  in  the  Scriptures.     Holt  affirmed. 

2.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  very  and  eternal 
God,  separate  and  apart  from  his  human 
nature.    Newgent  afifiruied. 

3.  Water  baptism  is  for  the  remission  of 
the  past  sins  of  the  penitent  believer.  Holt 
affirmed. 

4.  The  Holy  Spirit  bears  a  direct,  imme- 
diate, and  personal  testimony  to  the  believer 
of  his  pardon.    Newgent  affirmed. 

5.  Immersion  is  the  only  act  of  Christian 
baptism.     Holt  affirmed. 

142     . 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

{).  After  a  j)€rson  is  sufficiently  in- 
structed in  the  written  Word,  the  Holy 
Spirit  operates  directly  upon  the  heart  in 
rejTjeneration.     New'oent  affirmed. 

In  most  respects  the  two  men  were  well 
matched.  Holt  was  a  man  of  scholarship, 
a  deep,  loiiical  thinker,  and  jwsvsessed  ora- 
torical ability  of  a  hioh  order,  which,  with 
the  practice  afforded  by  thirty-two  debating? 
bouts,  rendered  him  an  antaj^onist  not  to  be 
despised.  Xewjrent,  then  in  his  prime,  pos- 
sessed a  splendid  physique,  a  strong,  musi- 
cal voice  that  seemed  never  to  tire,  which 
was  especially  adapted  for  out-door  speak- 
ing. Though  not  a  product  of  the  schools, 
as  was  his  opponent,  his  mind  was  strong, 
clear,  and  alert.  He  was  ever  a  close  stu- 
dent, not  only  of  books,  but  of  human  na- 
ture. He  could  readily  analyze  a  proposi- 
tion as  much  by  intuition  as  by  logic,  and 
discern  at  a  glance  the  weak  places  in  his 
opponent's  position.  His  wit  and  humor 
served  him  well  in  such  matters.  When  he 
turned  the  shafts  of  ridicule  upon  a  weak 
point  in  the  position  of  an  opponent,  it  was 
as  though  all  the  batteries,  field  pieces, 
grape  and  canister,  and  every  other  instru- 
ment of  destructive  warfare  had  been  turned 
loose  at  once.  As  there  were  none  of  the 
scholastic  or  bookish  elements  in  his  style, 
143 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

he    invariably    had    the    sympathy    of    the 
masses. 

Doctor  Holt  made  the  openiuo;  address, 
aflfirminj?;  that  his  was  the  only  true  church 
— "identical  in  doctrine  and  practice  with 
the  Church  of  Christ  as  revealed  in  the 
Scriptures."  He  referred  to  various  doc- 
trines held  by  his  church  and  supported 
them  by  Scriptural  authority.  In  most 
cases  they  were  doctrines  accepted  by  all 
evangelical  churches,  affording  no  ground 
for  controversy.  The  address  was  eloquent 
and  logical. 

When  Newgent  arose  to  reply,  he  com- 
plimented the  brother's  address  and  ex- 
pressed his  approval  of  much  that  was  said. 
"But  now,  Mr.  :\[oderator,"  he  continued,  "I 
would  like  to  know  what  church  my  brother 
belongs  to  when  he  asserts  that  they  believe 
thus  and  so.  He  frequently  referred  to  'My 
church.'  If  he  belongs  to  a  church,  how  are 
we  to  know,  in  the  absence  of  a  written 
creed,  what  the  doctrines  of  his  church  are? 
Shall  we  take  his  statements?  That  would 
not  be  safe,  for  I  find  that  they  differ  among 
themselves  on  various  important  points. 

"According  to   Mr.   AVebster,  he  has  no 

church.      Webster    says,    'The    Church    of 

Christ  is  the  universal  body  of  Christ.'  Paul 

speaks  of  the  'whole  family  in  heaven  and 

144 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

earth.'  All  saints  in  heaven  and  on  earth 
belon'ij  to  the  Chnrch  of  Christ.  Tiiis  in- 
cludes the  eliildren.  When  tlie  disciples 
asked  Jesns  who  was  greatest  in  the  kinf;- 
doni  of  heaven,  he  'called  a  little  child  nnto 
him  and  set  him  in  llie  midst  of  them,  and 
said,  Verily,  I  say  nnto  yon,  except  ye  be 
convert(Ml  and  become  as  little  children,  ye 
shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaA'- 
en.' 

"Hence,  his  chni'ch  is  not  THE  Church  of 
Christ,  neither  is  it  A  church  of  Christ. 
Again,  according  to  Webster,  'A  church  of 
Christ  is  a  body  of  Christian  believers,  ob- 
serving the  saine  rites  and  acknowledging 
the  same  ecclesiastical  authority.'  It  denies 
all  creeds  and  all  ecclesiastical  authority. 
Hence,  it  cannot  be  A  church  of  Christ." 

He  then  appealed  to  the  president,  urging 
that,  in  the  absence  of  a  written  creed,  they 
should  take  the  writings  of  their  recognized 
church  leaders  to  ascertain  what  tlie  doc- 
trines of  his  opponent's  church — granting 
that  it  was  a  church — were.  The  president 
so  ruled.  It  then  became  the  duty  of  Doctor 
Holt  to  show  that  the  doctrines  indicated 
were  the  doctrines  of  his  church  according 
to  the  church  authorities,  and  also  that  tliey 
were  Scripturally  sound;  and  furthermore 
to  prove  that  other  doctrines  promulgated 
145 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

by  the  cluirch   leaders,   whicli   lie  had   not 
mentioned,  were  in  striet  harmony  \vitli  the 

This  o])ent'd  up  a  l)i<»;c»'er  field  than  even 
the  i>reat  lii.uh  priest  of  Canipbellism  was 
l)repared  to  occupy.  Xewgent  was  as  famil- 
iar with  the  teachings  of  his  opponent's 
church  as  Doctor  Holt  was  himself,  and  had 
foreseen  and  prepared  for  this  enierixency. 

"I  knew  you  would  not  be  prepared  for 
this,  so  I  thoui^ht  I  would  be  good  to  you," 
he  said  in  a  manner  suggesting  a  cat's  habit 
of  playing  with  a  mouse  just  before  crush- 
ing its  bones,  "I  have,  therefore,  prepared  a 
creed  from  the  writings  of  Mr.  Campbell 
and  other  leaders  of  your  church,  which  will 
<ual)le  us  to  ascertain  what  your  church 
teaches." 

lie  then  read  the  fcdloAving  improvised 
creed,  the  dilferent  items  of  which  were 
based  upon  statements  cited  in  the  writings 
of  recognized  authorities  of  the  church  Doc- 
tor Uolt  was  so  zealously  defending: 

T.  A\'e  profess  before  all  men  that  we  be- 
lieve in  water  baptism  by  immei'sion ;  that 
it  is  the  great  panacea  for  all  si)iritual  mal- 
adies. 

II.  Immersion  is  the  line  between  the 
saved  and  tiie  lost. 

146 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

III.  Tniinersioii  is  rooencration,  con- 
version, and  tlio  new  birth. 

IV.  Immersion  is  obeying  the  gospel ;  it 
alone  is  the  act  of  turning-  to  God. 

V.  Kejjentance,  i)ar(l()n,  justification, 
sanctification,  reconciliation,  adoption,  sal- 
vation, a  iiood  conscience,  a  ])nre  heart,  love 
to  God,  saving  faith,  acceptable  praj'er,  the 
reception  of  the  Tloly  Spirit,  and  the  in- 
tercession of  Christ  for  ns,  all  depend  upon 
inimei*sion. 

VI.  Immersion  is  the  converting  act,  and 
is  the  most  important  of  all  the  command- 
meats. 

VII.  The  water  is  the  mother  of  all 
Christians. 

VIII.  We  further  believe  that  the  Apos- 
tles set  up  the  kingdom  of  Christ  on  the  Day 
of  Pentecost. 

IX.  That  the  gospel  was  first  preached 
by  Peter,  that  the  first  Christian  baptism 
was  administered,  and  that  the  reign  of 
grace  began  on  the  Day  of  Pentecost. 

X.  That  the  kingdom  of  Christ  has  apos- 
tatized and  become  totally  corrupt. 

XI.  That  the  meaning  of  the  Christian 
institutions  was  lost  in  the  Dark  Ages,  and 
that  no  one  pleaded  the  true  cause  of  Christ 
from  the  great  apostasy  until  Mr.  Camp- 
bell's day. 

147 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

XTT.  That  the  true  fouiulatioii  of  the 
millciiial  chnrcli  was  lost,  and  that  it  was 
laid  a2:ain  in  tlie  present  centnry. 

XIII.  That  we  have  restorcMl  tlie  ancient 
i»ospel. 

XIV.  That  :\lr.  (\\mpbell,  with  others, 
has  I'l'oni  notliini;  reoij^aiiized  and  estab- 
lished the  kinjLidoni  of  Chi-ist  on  eartli. 

XV.  That  salvation  is  alone  in  the  soci- 
ety to  which  we  belong',  and  which  was  es- 
tablished in  the  ])resent  centnry. 

XVI.  A\'e  believe  in  a  refornialion  j)!'o- 
duced  witliout  the  Holy  S])irit,  without 
godly  sorrow,  or  niourninii',  or  ])rayer,  or 
any  act  of  devotion  whatever. 

XVII.  That  a  mere  persuasion  that  the 
"ospel  is  true  is  all  the  faith  required. 

XVril.  That  even  a  believer  is  not  par- 
doned, born  of  (Uxl,  or  in  possession  of 
spiritual  life  until  after  immersion. 

XIX.  That  no  sinner  has  a  rijilit  to  pray 
before  immersion. 

XX.  That  in  rejieneration  there  is  no 
chan.i;e  of  the  moral  ]>owers  or  inward  evi- 
dence of  the  same. 

XXI.  That  sinners  are  buried  in  the  wa- 
ter in  order  to  kill  them  to  sin. 

XXII.  That  salvation  is  by  works. 

XXIII.  We  deny  the  divine  call  to  the 
work  of  the  ministry. 

148 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

Tlie  foregoing-  propositions  had  been  care- 
fnlly  selected  with  proof  statements  by  Kev. 
Mr.  Newgent.  To  square  them  by  the  Wor<l 
of  (lod  was  a  task  that  even  a  gi-eater  than 
Doctor  Molt  might  well  have  shrunk  from. 
And  the  opening  battle  which  was  to  decide 
the  question  as  to  whether  or  not  the  church 
of  Doctor  Holt's  choice  was  identical  in  doc- 
trine and  practice  with  the  New  Testament 
church  resulted  in  a  decided  advantage  in 
favor  of  the  Irishman. 

Among  the  amusing  incidents  connected 
with  the  occasion  was  an  attempt  on  the 
part  of  the  Holt  allies  to  create  a  demon- 
stration favorable  to  their  cause.  On  the 
day  when  the  subject  of  baptism  was  up,  a 
rumor  came  to  Newgent's  ears  that  a  pre- 
tended convert  to  his  opponent's  doctrine 
would  present  himself  for  admission  to  the 
Campbellite  Church  at  the  evening  service. 
A  baptismal  service  would  then  be  held  the 
following  morning  in  a  nearby  creek  in  the 
presence  of  the  crowd,  affording  ocular  evi- 
dence that  the  champion  of  immersion 
v^-as  gaining  ground.  This,  attended  with 
all  the  pomp  and  display  necessary  to  make 
it  impressive,  it  was  expected,  would  prove 
a  staggering  blow  to  Xewgent,  from  which 
even  his  wit  and  humor  would  not  enable 
him  to  rally. 

149 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

Tie  did  not  g\\e  mncli  credence  to  the 
rumor,  scarcely  l)elie^•inJ1:  that  any  one 
would  resort  to  such  tactics,  but  thou.nlit  it 
best  to  keep  at  least  one  eye  open.  The 
evening  services  were  held  in  the  churches, 
both  denominations  beinp;  represented  in  the 
villajj^e.  Eacli  church  would  have  preaching 
by  a  visiting  minister  of  its  own  faith.  Or- 
dinarily those  who  cared  to  attend  would 
go  to  their  own  church,  the  champions  them- 
selves remaining  at  home  to  rest  and  gird 
themselves  for  the  next  day.  Newgent,  how- 
ever, curious  to  learn  whether  there  was  any 
foundation  for  the  rumor,  on  that  partic- 
ular evening  attended  the  service  at  his  op- 
l)onent's  church.  To  his  surprise,  he  saw 
Doctor  Holt  there,  lie  then  smelled  a  rat. 
At  the  close  of  the  sermon,  Doctor  Holt 
arose,  delivered  a  brief  exhortation  and 
opened  the  doors  of  the  church.  And  the 
rat  smelled  stronger. 

All  doubts  were  dispelled  when  an  old, 
rusty-looking  gentleman  limped  forward 
and  gave  the  preacher  his  hand.  This  was 
the  convert  that  the  eloquence  of  Doctor 
Holt  had  won  to  the  standard  of  Campbell- 
ism — an  old,  decrepit  man,  by  no  means  dis- 
ting-uished  for  learning  or  intelligence,  who 
had  been  imported  from  an  adjoining  county 
for  the  occasion ! 

J  50 


RKV.   ANDREW  JACKSON  NEWCJF.NT 
At  iige  of  forty 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

The  doctor  was,  of  course,  glad  that  one 
penitent  was  niakinj?  the  "good  confession," 
and  annomiced  that  on  to-morrow  morning 
at  eight  o'ch)ck,  just  befoi'e  the  day's  exer- 
cises would  begin,  they  would  repair  to  the 
creek  and  "baptize  the  brother  into  Christ." 

At  this  juncture  Kev.  Mr.  Newgeut  arose 
and  asked  if  he  might  say  a  few  words.  The 
permission  was  granted.  "Doctor,"  he  said, 
"I  have  been  taking  it  for  granted  that  you 
were  sincere  in  advocating  that  the  peni- 
tent's sins  were  ])ardoned  only  in  the  act 
of  baptism.  Now,  here  is  a  dear  brother 
desiring  to  flee  the  wrath  to  come.  Suppose 
he  should  die  before  eight  o'clock  to-morrow 
morning,  and  thus  be  lost.  Who  would  be 
responsible?  He  is  getting  old.  Aren't  yon 
running  an  awful  risk  in  exposing  his  soul 
to  eternal  death  until  to-morrow?  Doctor, 
don't  yon  think  it  would  be  safer  and  more 
consistent  to  take  this  brother  at  once  to 
the  creek  and  baptize  him  into  Christ?" 

The  doctor  admitted  that  he  was  right, 
and  ordered  the  candidate  to  be  baptized 
immediately.  A  small  bodyguard  took  him 
to  the  creek  and  reluctantly  performed  the 
task.  Thus  evaporated  the  scheme  from 
which  the  opposition  had  hoped  to  reap  so 
largely.  They  did  reap  largely,  but  not 
what  they  expected.  In  his  opening  re- 
151 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

inai'k.s  the  next  moiiiiiiy,',  Xewgeiit  recited 
with  dramatic  effect  the  story  of  the  ex- 
phjded  plot,  takiiiji-  ample  time  to  do  it 
justice.  The  story  was  told  with  many  a 
humorous  and  oratorical  flourish,  in-oduc;- 
ing  roar  after  roar  of  langliter  from  the 
great  audience.  Tlie  house  thus  huilt  upon 
the  sand  fell  upon  the  heads  of  the  unwise 
builders  with  most  disastrous  effect. 

As  an  illustration  of  his  peculiar  power 
over  the  minds  of  his  hearers,  the  following 
tribute  from  a  titled  minister  of  the  Camj)- 
bell  faith  w\\\  serve  well.  He  was  taking 
his  usual  rest  during  the  noon  intermission, 
when  the  reverend  gentleman  who  wore  a 
D.D.  and  a  silk  hat,  approached  him,  and 
after  introducing  himself,  said  : 

"Rev.  Mr.  Newgent,  Ihey  have  told  me 
that  you  attended  school  but  three  months 
in  your  life,  and  also  that  this  is  your  first 
debate.  I  am  convinced  that  in  this  you 
have  been  misrepresented.  I  heard  Doctor 
Holt  deliver  his  opening  address  to-day,  and 
I  thought  no  man  on  earth  could  answer  his 
argument.  Rut  when  you  got  up  to  speak, 
you  had  not  proceeded  five  minutes  until 
the  people  had  forgotten  all  he  had  said. 
The  S'?me  was  true  of  the  second  address, 
and  I  saw  at  once  that  our  man  was 
beaten." 

152 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

Newi^eiit  told  him  that  ho  had  had  but 
meager  school  advantages.  In  a  foi-mer 
chapter  it  is  stated  that  he  attended  scliool 
three  terms  of  three  months  eaeli.  But  as 
school  attendance  then  was  very  irregular 
at  the  best,  the  gentleman's  information  was 
not  far  from  the  truth.  Tie  informed  his 
friend,  however,  that  he  had  always  been  a 
hard  student,  and  thus  had  atoned  in  some 
measure  for  the  meagerness  of  his  school 
advantages. 

"Well,"  said  the  doctor  of  divinity,  "I 
expected  to  remain  until  the  close  of  the  de- 
bate; but  I  see  that  our  man  is  fighting  a 
losing  battle,  and  I  do  not  care  to  stay  and 
see  him  defeated.''  And  after  a  few  further 
remarks,  he  bade  Eev.  Mr.  Newgent  a  cour- 
teous good  by  and  left  the  grounds,  not  de- 
siring to  see  the  end  of  a  contest  that  boded 
no  good  thing  for  his  cause. 

The  gentleman's  unwilling  prophecy  was 
fulfilled,  no  doubt,  to  a.  larger  degree  than 
he  himself  anticipated.  Newgent  seemed  to 
gain  power  and  momentum  to  the  last. 
When  the  great  contest  closed,  defeat  was 
plainly  written  upon  the  countenance  of 
every  Holt  sympathizer,  while  Newgent  was 
showered  with  compliments  and  congi'atu- 
lations  from  his  admiring  friends.  A  dele- 
gation of  Baptist  brethren,  headed  by  the 
153 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

pastor  of  tlio  IMrst  Baptist  Cliun-li  of  Terre 
Ilantc,  rushed  forward  and  placed  a  ten- 
dollar  hat  on  his  head  in  behalf  of  that 
denomination.  Commendations  and  snb- 
stantial  tokens  of  approval  eame  from  rep- 
resentatives of  a  number  of  denominations. 
And  tlie  occasion  ended  pleasantly  for  all, 
except  the  number  whose  theolo,i>ical  bia.s 
was  plainly  and  painfully  indicated  by  their 
crestfallen  spirits. 


154 


CiiAPTER  Eleven. 

Subsequent  Debates — The  Owen  Contest — He  Gets 
his  "Treat" — Opponent's  Confession — Dressing 
"Stone"  —  A  Scared  Baptist  —  Invades  the  Lu- 
theran Ranks — Measures  Steel  with  Doctor  In- 
gram— Dissertation  on  Infant  Baptism — Oppo- 
nent's Early  Flight — Concludes  the  Debate  Alone 
— The  Haw  Debate. 

As  the  precedinj^  cliapter  lias  sll0^^^l,  our 
subject  was  not  a  debater  from  choice.  He 
\yas  thrust  into  the  debating  arena  by  cir- 
cumstances. His  memorable  victory  over 
Doctor  Holt  placed  his  name  in  big  letters 
among  the  leading  debaters  of  the  time, 
creating  demands  for  his  senices  in  this 
capacity  that  could  not  well  be  resisted. 
Besides  being  in  constant  demand  to  ex- 
pound and  defend  the  doctrines  for  which 
he  stood,  by  his  own,  and  other  denomina- 
tions of  a  kindred  faith,  he  figured  in  some 
thirteen  debating  bouts,  a  detailed  account 
of  which  would  of  itself  make  a  good-sized 
volume.  Hence,  a  few  passing  references 
to  some  of  these  contests,  with  some  char- 
acteristic incidents,  is  all  that  will  be  at- 
tempted here. 

Shortly  after  the  debate  with  Doctor 
Holt,  he  received  an  urgent  appeal  from 
Rev.  James  Griffiths  of  the  United  Brethren 
ISS 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

Church  at  Potomac,  llliuois,  to  coiiie  over  to 
his  Macedonia  and  help  him.  Controversy 
between  the  Christian  and  United  Brethren 
churches  of  that  section  was  at  white  heat. 
The  Christian  Church,  under  the  leadership 
of  a  Rev.  Mr.  Owen,  was  pressinjj;-  the  bat- 
tle to  the  f^ates  and  makini>-  things  unpleas- 
antly interesting'  for  l?ev.  Mr.  Cirilliths, 
who  was  not  of  a  controversial  turn  of 
mind.  He  felt,  however,  that  the  safety  of 
his  cause  demanded  that  his  adversaries  be 
met  upon  their  own  ;;Tonnd  with  their  own 
w^eapons.  His  presiding-  elder.  Rev.  J.  W. 
Nye,  joined  in  the  request  that  Rev.  Mr. 
Newgent  go  to  the  rescue. 

Accordingly,  a  debate  between  Owen  and 
Newgent,  covering  the  usual  mooted  ques- 
tions between  the  two  denominations,  was 
arranged.  Rev.  Mr.  Owen  was  scholarly 
and  serious,  but  utterly  lacking  in  the 
humorous  element.  His  dry  logic  was  no 
match  for  the  fiery  eloquence  and  quick  wit 
of  his  Irish  antagonist.  Like  the  bride- 
groom at  a  w^edding,  he  was  a  rather  incon- 
spicuous figure,  except  that  his  part  was 
necessary  to  the  carrying  out  of  the  pro- 
gram. It  was  an  easy  victory  for  the  United 
Brethren  and  their  allies,  resulting  in  a 
cessation  of  hostilities  and  a  reign  of  peace 
in  that  section  of  Zion. 
156 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  jack 

A  more  iiotahlc  contest  was  that  with 
Dr.  W.  B.  F.  Treat,  tlien  president  of  Indi- 
ana, State  University,  at  Bloomington.  Doe- 
tor  Treat,  as  liis  ])osition  would  indieaie, 
was  a  man  of  line  seliolarshi]).  lie  was  a 
minister  in  the  Christian  Chnrcli,  zealous 
in  the  defense  of  its  doctrines,  and  had  won 
many  trophic^  as  a  debater. 

The  preliminary  arrangements  for  this 
debate  wei'e  made  by  a  conple  of  ministers, 
one  a  representative  of  tlie  Christian 
Church,  and  the  other  a  United  Brethren. 
Newsicnt  and  Treat  were  secured  by  the  two 
churches  as  their  respective  champions. 

As  the  two  champions  were  introduced 
on  the  occasion  of  the  debate,  the  followino; 
bit  of  repartee  was  indulged  in  by  Nevro-ent, 
who  had  been  sufferino-  from  some  slight 
temporary  ailment :  "I  am  sorry  you  are  not 
in  good  trim,"  said  Doctor  Treat,  "I  had 
hoped  to  find  a  man  w^ho  w'ould  be  able  to 
put  up  a  good  figlit." 

"Oh,"  said  Newgent,  "I  think  I'll  feel  bet- 
ter when  I  get  my  Treat/' 

In  his  opening  remarks.  Doctor  Treat 
again  indulged  in  some  pleasantry  at  New- 
gent's  expense.  He  referred  to  his  oppo- 
nent as  having  been  born  in  Green  County 
and  cradled  in  a  sugar  trough.  Newgent  re- 
plied that  he  had  missed  it  four  miles  as  to 
157 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

the  place  of  his  birth.  The  sugar  troiipjh 
part  of  it,  however,  he  did  not  deny ;  but  as 
the  trou«>h  had  served  well  to  cradle  the  dif- 
ferent members  of  his  mother's  small  family 
of  nine  children,  he  Avas  (|uite  sure  the  rude 
cradle  sutl'ered  no  violence  a1  his  liands. 

The  leai'ued  doctor  further  tried  to  dis- 
count the  scholarship  of  his  opjxment  by 
referrincj  to  a  postal  card  received  from  him 
on  which  there  were  two  words  misspelled. 
To  this  Newgent  also  had  an  answer. 
"Great  speakers,"  said  he,  "are  usually  de- 
ficient in  other  lines.  I  now  understand 
why  the  doctor  is  short  on  debating;  all  his 
strength  has  gone  into  his  spelling." 

The  usual  questions  were  discussed,  six 
in  number,  the  same  as  in  the  great  Holt 
debate.  The  arguments  were  listened  to  by 
thousands  of  interested  and  enthusiastic 
spectators,  among  them  ministers  and  dig- 
nitaries of  various  denominations,  and  per- 
sons of  prominence  in  educational,  political, 
and  professional  circles.  As  to  the  result  of 
the  contest.  Doctor  Treat's  own  confession, 
as  brought  out  in  the  following  incident, 
will  suflfice: 

A  debate  between  Newgent  and  a  Kev. 

Dr.  J.  W.  Stone,  of  St.  Louis,  ^lissouri,  also 

a  minister  of  prominence  in  the  Christian 

Church,  was  scheduled  to  take  place  a  fcnv 

158 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

weeks  later.  lu  the  meantime  Doctor 
Stone,  anxious  to  learn  all  he  eould  eon- 
cerninjTj  his  opponent,  souj^ht  an  intervi(nv 
witli  Doctor  Treat.  Tie  met  him  at  a  cliui'ch 
dedication  at  which  Treat  was  oniciatiii"'-. 
The  two  men,  with  others,  were  entertained 
for  dinner  at  tlie  same  home  after  the  morn- 
ing service.  At  an  opportune  time.  Doctor 
Stone  introduced  the  subject  in  which  Jie 
was  especially  interested,  and  tlie  followinuj 
conversation  between  the  two  men  took 
place,  being  overheard  and  reported  to  New- 
gent  by  a,  gentleman  who  leaned  toward  his 
side  of  the  question  : 

"Are  you  acquainted  with  a  United 
Brethren  preaclier  in  Indiana  of  the  name 
of  Newgent?''  Doctor  Stone  inquired. 

"I  am,''  was  President  Treat's  answer. 

"Did  you  not  debate  with  him  some  time 


airo 


•?" 


"I  did." 

"Is  he  a  scholar?" 

"I  do  not  know." 

"Is  he  logical?" 

"I  cannot  tell.  He  claimed  that  he  went 
to  school  only  a  few  months." 

"How  long  did  you  debate  with  him?" 

"Six  days." 

"What?"  said  Doctor  Stone  in  astonish- 
ment,   "You  debated  with  him  six  days,  and 

159 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

could   not   tell    whctlici'  or   not   he  is  edu- 
cated?'' 

"Well,"  continued  the  nniversity  presi- 
dent, in  a  meditative  mood,  "I  will  say  that 
he  is — forceful/' 

Doctor  vStone  looked  blank  for  a  moment, 
and  then  ventured  with  a  snnle,  ''May  he 
he  whipped  yon?" 

"I  don't  know,"  was  the  ouarded  answer, 
"hut  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  my  peo- 
ple thouo-ht  he  did."  Observing  that  Stone 
was  intensely  interested.  Treat  inquired : 

"Are  you  thinking  of  debating  with 
him?" 

Stone  answered  in  the  affirmative. 

"Can't  you  get  out  of  it  in  some  honorable 
way?" 

Stone  replied  that  he  was  not  wanting 
"out  of  it." 

"But  you  may  want  out  of  it,"  was  Treat's 
not  very  assuring  reply. 

"Why,  is  he  not  fair  in  debate?  Is  he  not 
a  gentleman?" 

"Yes,"  answered  Treat,  "so  much  so  that 
all  your  people  who  know  him  love  to  be 
with  him  and  hear  him  talk."  And  the 
conversation  drifted  into  other  channels. 
But  Doctor  Stone,  being  from  ^Missouri, 
waited  to  be  shown.  And  the  debate  was 
held  according  to  schedule. 
160 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

About  this  time  Doctor  Stone  was  eujoy- 
ing  no  small  degree  of  notoriety.  He  had 
debated  with  a  ^lethodist  minister  in  south- 
era  Illinois,  and  so  completely  mastered 
him  that  he  acknowledged  his  defeat  in 
sack  cloth  and  ashes,  and  joined  the  Chris- 
tian Church.  Stone  was  taking  advantage 
of  his  newly-acquired  popularity  in  waging 
a  relentless  war  against  the  "sects,"  as  he 
termed  them,  when  some  of  the  Pedo-Bap- 
tists  secured  Xewgent  to  meet  him  in  de- 
bate. And  the  challenge  was  brought  to  the 
great,  self-important  Doctor  Stone. 

"Newgent  I"  said  this  supposed  (xoliath 
with  a  contemptuous  sneer.  "He  can't  de- 
bate. He's  an  Irish  peddler  who  used  to  sell 
table-cloths  in  my  father's  neigiiborhood." 
The  committee  informed  him  that  they  were 
willing  to  risk  their  case  with  the  Irish  ped- 
dler. However,  Stone's  visit  to  Doctor 
Treat  to  get  information  concerning  the 
Irishman  would  indicate  that  his  contempt 
was  more  feigned  than  real. 

The  debate  was  held  in  a  small  town  in 
southern  Illinois,  where  the  doctor  had  been 
making  havoc  of  the  "sects."  The  table- 
cloth story  became  current,  and  much  spec- 
ulation was  indulged  in  concerning  the  sup- 
posed vender  of  household  commodities. 
His  coming  to  the  tillage  was  awaited  vrith 

161 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

intense  interest.  When  tlie  train  on  which 
he  was  schednled  to  arrive  pulled  in  at  the 
station,  a  curious  and  enthusiastic  crowd 
was  waiting-  to  f^et  a  view  of  the  man  who 
dared  to  dispute  the  wisdom  of  Doctor 
Stone.  As  he  stepped  from  the  car,  a  gen- 
tleman wlio  knew  him  said,  ])ointing  him 
out,  "There's  tlie  table-cloth  peddler." 

A  hearty  salute  was  given  by  the  crowd. 
Newgent,  having  been  apprised  of  the  story, 
was  equal  to  the  occasion.  As  soon  as  the 
hubbub  ceased,  he  addressed  the  crowd, 
turning  the  tabh^-cloth  story  against  his 
opponent  in  the  following  speech : 

"Gentlemen,  if  you  have  come  here  to 
buy  table-clotlis.  you  will  be  disappointed. 
I  have  chai!g(^d  my  occupation.  T  have  been 
informed  that  there  is  some  fine  stone  in 
southern  Illinois,  so  I  have  come  doAvn  here 
to  set  up  my  shop  and  spend  a  few  days 
dressing  Stone." 

The  "Stone  dressing"  joke  superseded  the 
table-cloth  story  and  became  a  catch  phrase 
throughout  the  debate. 

Tt  is  likely  that  Stone  often  called  to 
mind  the  friendly  advice  of  Doctor  Treat, 
and  regi'etted  that  Ik^  did  not  take  it.  He 
could  cope  niM'tlier  with  the  argument,  the 
quick  wit,  nor  the  physical  endurance  of  his 
opponent.    TTis  voice  fsiiled  completely,  and 

162 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  jack 

the  last  two  addresses  of  Xewji^ent  were  nn- 
auswered.  The  Stoiie-dressinji;  Imsiuess 
proved  eminently  successful. 

An  amusiuii'  Incident  occurred  in  connec- 
tion with  a  (h'ba.tc  in  Kentucky  with  a 
Doctor  Pairchilds,  an  eminent  Baptist  min- 
ister. A  story  came  to  tlie  ears  of  Doctor 
Fairchilds  after  he  came  on  the  ground,  to 
the  effect  that  Newgent  was  a  man  of  extra- 
ordinary scholarshi]),  that  he  was  master 
of  some  thirteen  languages,  etc.  Tlie  doc- 
tor was  visibly  disconcerted  by  the  story, 
and  after  liearing  Xewgent's  first  address, 
was  fully  persuaded  tliat  it  was  true,  espe- 
cially the  pai't  relating  to  the  thirteen  lan- 
guages. He  was  quite  nervous,  and  utterly 
broke  down  about  the  middle  of  the  pro- 
gram, leaving  the  supposed  master  of  thir- 
teen languages  ea>sily  master  of  tlie  situ- 
ation. 

While  on  liis  official  rounds  as  superin- 
tendent of  the  Tennessee  ^Mission  Confer- 
ence, he  once  chanced  to  invade  a  Lutheran 
community,  which  set  in  motion  a  train  of 
influences  tluit  terminated  in  a  debate  with 
a  representative  of  that  body.  This  was 
about  eight  miles  from  Greenville.  He  was 
visiting  a  United  Bretliren  family  tliat  had 
moved  into  the  community,  and  in  company 
with  his  host,  called  at  the  district  school, 
163 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

and  made  a  talk  to  tiic  j)ui)ils.  Tlirouoli  the 
inllucncc  of  liis  liosl,  the  school  house  was 
secured  foi-  a  prcachiiiti'  service  that  even- 
ing. Other  intiuences  then  be^an  to  be  felt, 
and  the  nieetinj;'  was  continued  indefinitely, 
resnltini*'  in  a  sweeping-  revival,  the  orj^an- 
ization  of  a  United  Brethren  church,  and 
the  buildinii,'  and  dedication  of  a  church- 
house  within  t\Vi>  months  from  the  close  of 
the  revival. 

This  occasioned  ^reat  concern  ainong  the 
Lutherans  who  lost  (luite  heavily  a»s  a  re- 
sult of  the  United  Brethren  invasion.  To 
regain  their  lost  ground,  they  challenged 
Kev.  ^Ir.  Newgent  to  debate  certain  doc- 
ti'iual  (luesticms  with  a  rei)reseutative  of 
their  church.  Newgent  was  then  in  his  ele- 
ment, in  the  debate,  and  answered  that  he 
w(»uld  be  ready  at  any  tinu'  to  accommodate 
them. 

The  Lutheran  champion  was  Dr.  J.  C 
Miller,  president  of  oiu'  of  their  church 
schools.  The  much-mooted  ([uestiou  as  to 
what  body  constituted  the  true  church  was 
the  first  taken  up.  Doctor  .Millei*  posing  as 
tlic  representative  of  a  church  whose  doc- 
trin(\s  and  usages  ;ire  identical  with  those 
taught  and  exemplilied  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. 

164 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

This  ])hi(('(l  upon  ^lilhu-  th('  Ilerfuloan 
task  of  dcfeudinu'  tlic  various  tenots  an<l 
practices  peculiar  to  liis  church.  Among 
other  spocinuMis  of  Lutlicran  creed,  Ncav- 
••ent  read  the  foHowiiiif:  "The  infaut's  heart 
is  corrupt,  and  it  cannot  be  saA'ed  unless 
ha])tized  by  a  Lutlieran  minister  Avitli  heav- 
enly, gracious  Avater."  When  asked  if  his 
church  taught  that,  Doctor  INfiller  admitted 
that  it  did. 

Newji'ent  showed  this  bit  of  dojiina  up  in 
a  bad  lioht  by  the  use  of  an  object  lesson. 
Borrowinij-  a  baby  from  a  mother  in  the 
audience,  beheld  it  upbefore  the  crowd,  stat- 
ins: that  the  "little  rascal's"  heart  is  corrupt 
and  its  only  chance  for  salvation  was  by 
being-  baptized  according  to  the  Lutheran 
formula.  "Now,"  he  continued,  "I  want 
this  brother  to  demonstrate  to  this  audi- 
ence how  a  baby  must  be  saved.  I  want 
him  to  change  this  baby's  heart  from  a  state 
of  corruption  to  a  state  of  purity.  I  want 
to  see  how  a  baby  is  saved,  for,  according  to 
his  theology,  I  have  three  babies  in  hell." 

The  brother  winced  under  this  outburst 
of  sarcasm.  He  refused  to  bajjtize  the  child, 
v.liich,  had  he  done  so  under  the  circum- 
stances, would  scarcely  have  made  his  doc- 
trine appear  less  obnoxious.  Other  peculiar 
Lutlieran  tenets  ap])eared  to  the  same  disad- 
165 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

vantage  under  similar  trealiueut,  and  the 
chnrcli's  hope  of  gaining-  its  h)st  ground 
(•<)m])letely  vanished.  The  debate  popular- 
ized the  Ignited  Brethren  Church,  giving  it 
a  strong  hold  in  tlie  comniunity.  Flag 
Branch,  a  nourishing  rural  cliurch,  stands 
as  a  monument  to  Kev.  Mr.  Newgent's  la- 
bors in  that  section. 

Another  contest  worthy  of  special  note 
was  with  a  Baptist  minister  at  Blue 
Springs,  Tennessee,  in  1882.  The  mode  of 
baptism  was  a  live  question  throughout 
that  region.  The  battle  line  was  drawn  by 
the  Baptists  and  Pedo-Baptists.  They 
finally  agreed  to  have  the  question  discussed 
in  a  public  debate,  each  side  to  furnish  its 
champion.  Three  churches  were  repre- 
sented on  the  immersion  side,  and  seven  on 
the  other.  The  immersionists  secured  as 
their  representative,  Doctor  Ingram,  a 
prominent  Baptist  divine  of  Virginia.  New- 
gent  was  selected  by  the  anti-immersionists. 
The  debate  was  to  cover  six  propositions 
and  to  continue  six  days,  one  subject  being 
slated  for  each  day. 

The  Baptists  were  very  desirous  of  includ- 
ing infant  baptism  in  the  list  of  subjects  to 
be  discussed.  This  was  a  question  that 
Newgent  had  never  debated,  and  in  which 
he  had  very  little  interest.  But  to  aconimo- 
166 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

date  tlic  Baptists,  lie  eonsented  to  defend 
the  praetie<'  of  infant  baptism.  His  oppo- 
nent proposed  the  question,  statinj?  it  as 
follows:  ''Resolved,  That  infants  are  fit  sub- 
jects for  baptism."  Newgent  consentcMl  to 
affirm  it. 

It  was  slated  for  the  second  day.  In  his 
opening  remarks,  Xewgent  said  :  "^Ir.  Presi- 
dent, this  is  a  peculiar  question ;  but  my 
brother  Avrote  it  and  insisted  that  I  affirm  it. 
It  is  peculiar  from  tlie  fact  that  I  am  not 
to  prove  that  the  cliild  needs  baptism,  or 
that  there  is  any  command  for  infant  bap- 
tism, or  tliat  there  ever  was  an  infant  bap- 
tized. T  am  simply  asked  to  prove  that  a 
child  is  a  fit  subject  for  baptism." 

At  these  remarks  a  storm  of  protest  arose 
from  the  immersionists.  They  expected  him 
to  defend  the  vast  array  of  teaching-  that  the 
various  Pedo-Baptist  bodies  had  put  for- 
ward on  the  subject. 

"Keep  cool,"  he  said  to  the  immersionist 
part  of  tlie  crowd  as  they  were  clamoring 
for  a  liearing  and  creating  no  little  con- 
fusion. "Doctor  Ingram  and  I  signed  these 
papers,  and  we  agre(^d  to  be  governed  by  the 
board  of  moderators.  This  question  simply 
deals  with  the  child's  titness  for  baptism. 
I  appeal  to  the  moderators."  The  moder- 
ators sustained  his  position. 

167 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

Tie  tlion  asked  his  ()i)]K)Ti('nl  wlictlier  or 
uot  tlu'  IJaplist  (Miurcii  would  haplize  a  .sn1»- 
ject  until  he  was  converted  and  became  as 
a  little  child.  His  opponent  stated  tliat  it 
would  not.  This  jiave  him  a  splendid  foun- 
dation for  his  address,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  removed  the  last  foundation  stone 
from  under  his  oi)ponent,  so  far  as  infant 
baptism  was  concerned.  He  made  an  earn- 
est and  elo<inent  address,  showinii'  that  the 
child  is  a  type  of  the  heavenly  citizen,  and 
as  such  possesses  special  fitness  for  all  the 
sacraments  of  God's  house. 

While  he  was  talking,  his  attention  Avas 
called  to  Doctor  Ingram.  The  doctor,  grip 
in  hand,  was  making  rapid  strides  toward 
the  railroad  station.  His  moderator  and 
some  friends  were  accompanying  him,  try- 
ing to  persuade  him  to  remain.  Rut  he 
could  endure  it  no  longer. 

The  doctor's  retreat  caused  a  great  sen- 
sation, relisluHl  immensely  by  the  Pedo-Bap- 
tists,  but  a  bitter  dose  to  the  immersionists. 
There  were  yet  four  days  of  the  program 
remaining,  Newgent's  side  demanded,  as 
they  were  paying  him  for  his  work,  that  he 
remain  and  carry  out  his  part  of  the  pro- 
gram. This  he  did,  but  as  the  debate  had 
only  one  end  to  it  during  those  four  days, 
it  spoiled  the  excitement,  though  it  served 
168 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

woll  tlic  purpose  of  those  who  had  employed 
liiin. 

Anions"  his  hitei*  debates  was  one  held  in 
1898  at  IN[echani(sville,  Indiana.  Dr.  J.  W. 
HaAV,  of  the  Christian  (Minreh,  was  his  oj)- 
ponent  on  this  occasion.  Doctor  Haw  had 
been  holding-  revival  nieetinus  in  that  pai't 
of  Indiana,  and  bein<;-  doi^inatic  in  style  and 
controversially  inclined,  was  nnsparinij  in 
his  denunciations  of  otlier  denominations. 
His  a<>-i»Tessi()ns  and  criticisms  were  disturb- 
ino-  the  equilibrium  of  some  of  the  brethren 
whose  churches  were  b(Mnii-  used  as  a  target 
l)y  this  ecclesiastical  Nimrod.  They  wrote 
to  Xewjient,  then  in  Tennessee,  urginj^^  him 
to  champion  their  side  aijj-ainst  Doctor  Haw 
in  debate,  oiferinii-  him  fifty  dollars  per  day 
and  expenses  for  his  time.  He  consented  on 
condition  that  the  propositions  were  fair 
and  that  the  reverend  gentleman  in  question 
was  a  representative  mani  in  his  church. 

He  was  referred  to  a  two-column  article 
in  a  current  nund)er  of  the  CJtristian  Htan- 
chu'd  relating  to  Doctor  Haw.  The  article 
was  extra vag-ant  in  the  use  of  adjectives  de- 
scribing- the  doctor's  ability  and  achieve- 
ments, stating  that  he  was  the  leading  de- 
bater in  the  Christian  (^hurch,  having  had 
more  such  battles  than  any  otlier  nmn  in  it 
at  that  time.  This  was  quite  satisfactory 
169 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jacl; 

to  Newgent,  as  at  that  period  he  did  not 
rare  to  waste  any  shot  or  shell  on  small 
game. 

In  this,  as  in  all  other  such  contests,  New- 
gent ahundantly  sustained  his  position  and 
satisli(Nl  the  expectations  of  his  supporters. 
I  lis  experience,  self-control,  complete  mas- 
tery of  the  subjects  in  hand,  humor,  and 
physical  endurance  made  him  an  antago- 
nist that  even  the  greatest  debater  in  a  de- 
bating church  could  illy  cope  with.  The 
general  verdict  of  even  Doctor  Haw's  own 
sympathizers  was  that  it  was  decidedly  a 
one-sided  affair. 


170 


Capter  Twelve. 

Perrysville  and  Centerpoint — Industry  Rewarded 
from  an  Unsuspected  Source — A  "Slick"  Wed- 
ding— Fruitful  Labors  at  Centerpoint — A  One- 
sided Union  Meeting — The  Doctrine  of  the  Res- 
urrection Again  Demonstrated. 

A  year  on  the  Perrysville  charge  in  the 
Upi^er  Wabash  Conference,  followed  by  a 
year  at  Centerpoint,  in  his  own  conference, 
the  Lower  Wabash,  covering  1874  to  1876, 
closed  Kev.  Mr.  NewgenCs  work  in  the  pas- 
torate for  a  season.  It  was  from  the  latter 
charge  that  he  received  his  appointment 
from  the  Home,  Frontier,  and  Foreign 
Missionary  Society  as  Superintendent  of 
the  Tennessee  Mission  Conference.  From 
thenceforth  he  was  destined  to  serve  the 
Church  in  a  larger  capacity,  though  there 
is  no  woi*k  that  he  regards  as  more  exalted 
or  more  vital  to  the  progress  of  the  kingdom 
than  that  of  the  pastor.  And  it  is  but  just 
to  say  that  there  is  no  work  in  Avliich  he 
has  been  happier  or  more  in  his  element. 
The  pastor,  he  regards,  as  the  pivotal  man 
in  the  church  militant,  around  whose  per- 
sonality must  revolve  all  the  nmchinery  of 
its  organized  life.  Hence,  in  whatever  po- 
sition he  has  been  placed,  he  has  ever  been 
in  fullest  sympatliy  with  the  men  on  the 
171 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

firing  line,  and  has  sought  in  every  way  to 
encourage  and  maiinify  their  work. 

His  ^oinii'  to  Perrysville  was  in  response 
to  an  urgent  appeal  from  his  intimate 
friend,  Dr.  J.  W.  Nye,  then  a  popular  pre- 
siding elder  in  the  IJpper  Wabash  Confer- 
ence. His  work  here  was  fruitful  and  con- 
genial, and  marked  by  some  rich  experi- 
ences, which  he  carries  with  him  as  refresh- 
ing memories.  One  of  these  teaches  a  prac- 
tical moral  lesson,  nauiely,  that  honest  in- 
dustry has  its  reward  in  more  ways  than 
(me. 

It  need  not  1)e  explained  here  that  indus- 
try is  a  part  of  his  religion.  He  believes 
with  Paul  that  it  does  not  injure,  or  lower 
the  dignity  of  a  minister  to  labor  with  his 
hands.  In  this,  as  in  other  respects,  he 
made  himself  an  example  to  the  tlock.  Odd 
moments  are  always  occupied  in  diversions 
of  a  practical  character.  The  outward  ap- 
pearance of  tlie  parsonage  never  failed  to 
testify  to  his  thrift  and  good  taste.  A  gar- 
den served  as  an  outlet  to  his  surplus  physi- 
cal energies  as  well  as  a  means  of  supple- 
menting llie  usually  uu)dest  incouie.  ITnder 
his  skillful  han<l  it  invariably  became  a 
thing  of  beauty  and  an  object  of  just  pride. 

Some    five   miles   from    Perrysville   livnl 
a  horny-handed  son  of  tlie  soil,  a  uian  who 
172 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

made  iiidnstrv  not  only  th<'  chief  elcuient 
in  his  rciijiion,  but  the  sum  total  of  it.  He 
was  an  infidel  in  his  belief — or  disbelief — 
and  ivnai'ded  the  elnirch  as  an  imposition, 
and  preachers  as  an  indolent,  worthless  lot. 
Passing-  through  the  village  one  day,  he 
noticcHl  TJev.  Mr.  Newgent's  garden.  It  was 
by  far  the  finest  he  had  seen.  His  surprise 
can  only  be  imagined  when,  u])on  inquiry, 
he  learned  tliat  the  owner  of  it  was  one 
of  those  lazy  preachers. 

A  few  days  later  he  drove  up  to  the  par- 
sonage with  a  barrel  of  flour,  which  he  un- 
loaded and  unceremoniously  rolled  upon 
the  porch.  This  time  tlie  surprise  was  on 
the  preacher,  as  ;i  re])utation  for  benevo- 
kmce  was  a  thing  of  wliicli,  up  to  that  time, 
the  infldel  could  not  boast.  He  explained 
that  ordinarily  he  had  no  use  for  preach- 
ers, but  as  he  had  found  one  that  was  not 
lazy,  he  "wanted  to  help  him."  The  donation 
was  an  expression  of  his  regard  for  the 
minister  who  showed  a  willingness,  accord- 
ing to  the  infidel's  conception  of  the  term, 
to  earn  his  bread  in  the  sweat  of  his  face. 

Another  incident,  picked  up  at  rand(un, 
occurred  one  cold  day  during  the  winter  of 
his  stay  at  Perrysville.  A  couple  whose 
appearance  did  not  indicate  a,  superabund- 
ance of  worldly  prosperity,  came  to  the  par- 
173 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

sonap:o  to  be  married.  Tlioy  liad  come  from 
the  adjoiniiii]^  county,  the  boimdarv  ])etween 
the  two  counties  beinoj  the  Wabash  River, 
on  the  bank  of  which  Perrvsville  was  lo- 
cated. The  river  was  frozen  over.  The 
couple  traveled  afoot,  bavins:  crossed  the 
river  on  the  ice.  The  preacher  explained 
that  they  would  have  to  recross  the  river 
before  the  ceremony  could  be  performed,  as 
the  law  required  that  marriaijes  be  solem- 
nized in  the  county  in  which  the  license  was 
issued.  So  he  conducted  the  nmtrimonial 
candidates  to  the  river. 

When  tlie  preacher  was  satisfied  that  they 
had  proceeded  beyond  the  half-way  point  on 
the  river,  he  ordered  the  couple  to  halt  and 
join  hands.  By  this  time  their  presence 
had  attracted  the  attention  of  the  younj; 
people  who  were  out  on  the  ice  in  larG:e 
numbers  enjo;v'injj:  the  fine  winter  sport  of 
skatiuaj.  As  the  weddin'j^  was  a  public  func- 
tion, no  restrictions  beinp;  placed  on  attend- 
ance, the  ceremony  was  performed  in  the 
presence  of  an  enthusiastic  multitude. 

The  service  completed,  the  ijroom,  who 
was  unacquainted  with  ministerial  usajjes, 
inquired  as  to  the  amount  of  the  fee.  To 
save  him  the  responsibility  and  further  em- 
barrassment of  determining:  the  sum  to  be 
paid  for  the  service,  the  preacher  suggested 
174 


The  Younji  Man  s  Financial  RatinU  Was  Over-estimated. 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

that  a  dollar  would  be  sufficient,  fearinj]j 
lest  he  uiioht  set  the  price  too  hi<ih  for  his 
purse.  Even  at  that  it  was  painfully  evi- 
dent that  the  youns;  man's  financial  ratintj 
was  overestimated.  After  nervously  fum- 
blinii  throui>h  his  pockets  he  was  able  to 
produce  but  fifty  cents.  In  his  dilemma  he 
found  it  necessary  to  call  upon  his  bride 
for  financial  assistance.  Happily  she  was 
equal  to  the  emerji;ency,  and  supplied  the 
deficit  from  her  own  purse. 

"This  is  the  fairest  weddinj^  I  have  ever 
seen/'  said  the  preacher,  "It  has  always 
been  my  opinion  that  the  lady  ought  to  help 
pay  the  preacher,  and  she  receives  as  much 
benefit  from  the  ceremony  as  does  the  man. 
I  hope  you  will  always  share  each  other's 
burdens  in  this  way."  And  wishing  them 
happiness  and  prosperity,  he  sent  them  on 
their  way  rejoicing. 

The  local  paper  gave  a  flowery  aiccount  of 
the  wedding  that  took  place  on  the  ice,  stat- 
ing that  it  was  the  "slickest"  wedding  tliat 
had  ever  occurred  in  that  section.  But  the 
minister's  fee  and  the  manner  of  paying  it 
was  not  allowed  to  become  public,  lest  it 
should  become  a  troublesome  precedent  in 
matrimonial  circles. 

The  following  year,  which  was  spent  on 
the  Centerpoint  charge,  was  a  most  fruitful 
175 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

(Hio.  llcrc,  as  in  so  many  oilier  i)la€es,  lio 
found  a  S])l('n(li(l  opi)ortnnity  of  dcmon- 
stratinji'  liis  favorite  doctrine  of  (lie  resur- 
rection— the  resurrection  of  doa<l  chnrclies. 
The  spiritual  life  of  the  churches  at  (.'enter- 
point  was  at  ebb  tide,  and  had  been  for  an 
indefinite  time.  Soon  after  his  arrival  the 
Methodist  pastor,  who  was  also  new  in  the 
town,  called  upon  him  to  confer  as  to  their 
plans  for  revival  work.  As  workers  were 
scarce,  it  was  thoni^ht  best  to  plan  their 
meetinj^s  so  that  they  would  not  conllict. 
Kev.  ]Mr.  Newgent,  Abraham-like,  let  his 
brother  do  the  choosing,  and  the  brother, 
perhaps  as  anxious  as  Lot  to  lict  in  on  the 
ground  floor,  decided  to  commence  a,  revival 
at  once.  Newgent  began  a  meeting  at  the 
same  time  some  few  miles  in  the  country. 
Newgent's  nuH'ting  immediately  develojied 
into  a  revival  of  so  great  proportions  that 
it  became  the  one  oversliadowing  event  of 
the  whole  country,  drawing  tlie  ^Methodist 
pastor's  congregation  from  him  and  render- 
ing it  impracticable  for  him  to  continue. 
His  situation  was  a  rather  lonely  one.  In 
his  extremity  he  souglit  anolluT  interview 
with  his  fellow  pastor,  i)ro|)osing  to  close 
his  meeting  at  once  if  Newgent  would  join 
him  later  in  a  union  revival  effort. 
176 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

This  Newgent  consented  to  do  on  three 
conditions,  as  follows : 

1.  That  tlie  meetings  be  lield  in  the 
United  Brethren  church. 

2.  That  the  United  Brethren  pastor  do 
all  the  preaching. 

3.  That  the  United  Brethren  pastor  do 
the  managing. 

Hardastiieconditions  seemed,  the  brother 
agreed  to  them.  The  conditions,  in  fact, 
look  egotistical  and  perhaps  selfish  on  the 
surface,  but  when  the  United  Bretliren  pas- 
tor explained  his  reasons  for  them  they  were 
peen  to  be  neither.  On  the  contrary  they 
were  meant  for  the  highest  good  of  both 
churches,  and  were  abundantly  vindicated 
by  the  outcome.  ITe  was  intensely  anxious 
that  Ceuterpoint  have  a  genuine  revival  of 
religion.  To  promote  such  a  revival  at  any 
cost  was  his  purpose.  That  this  purpose 
might  be  realized  he  would  not  permit  mod- 
esty, formality,  or  any  other  creature  to 
stand  in  the  way. 

Tlie  United  Brethren  Church  was  the 
more  commodious  and  had  the  advantage  in 
location.  This  was  the  reason  for  the  first 
condition.  The  reason  for  the  second  and 
third  conditions  was  that  Centerpoint  had 
been  preaclied  to  death.  A  chano-e  of  meth- 
ods was  imperative  if  the  people  were  to  be 
177 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

reached.  He  wanted  a  meetinc;  without 
preachinji',  without  too  muc-h  human  ajiency, 
but  where  (lod  liiuiself  might  coutrol  to 
his  own  glory.  Only  l)y  having  the  manage- 
ment left  to  liim  could  he  apply  the  remedy 
needed  according  to  his  diagnosis  of  the 
case. 

His  plan  was  now  to  be  put  to  the  test — 
a  revival  without  preachiug,  the  laity  to  do 
tlie  work  as  they  felt  divinely  moved.  The 
uuu^ting  began  on  a  Friday  evening.  But 
with  no  life  there  could  be  no  real  activity. 
The  chariot  wheels  dragged  heavily  at  the 
first.  On  Sunday  morning  he  anuouuced 
that  at  four  o'clock  p.m.,  a  children's  uieet- 
ing  would  l)e  held.  Aside  from  selected 
helpers,  only  children  within  a  certain  age 
limit  would  b(^  aduiitted.  Such  meetings 
even  at  that  date  were  quite  unccmimon. 
The  annouucement,  therefore,  aroused  a 
great  deal  of  curiosity.  But  that  was  one 
point  in  the  anounceiuent.  Something  must 
be  done  to  stir  the  people.  There  must  be 
a  new  avenue  of  approach  to  their  cold 
hearts. 

The  children's  service  produced  the  de- 
sired effect.  At  the  appointed  hour  the 
house  was  filled  to  overfloAving.  There  were 
three  helpers,  all  ministers,  present,  who 
did  their  part  according  to  Newgent's  di- 
178 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

rec'tions.  Sonus  wero  simu',  prayers  offered 
by  the  ministers  as  they  were  ealhnl  upon,  a 
brief  talk  by  the  leader,  some  simple  propo- 
sitions, and  the  meetin,i>'  closed  in  less  than 
ai  half-honr  from  the  time  it  be^an.  But 
that  half-honr  tnrned  the  tide  in  Center- 
point.  The  children  became  the  Yan;ni:ird 
in  a  reli^'ions  movement  tliat  was  to  sitake 
the  toAvn  from  center  to  circumference. 
]Many  of  them  went  home  weejiinc:  to  speak 
of  the  lonij;inj>-  of  their  tender  hearts  to 
fathers  and  mothers,  who,  in  turn,  were 
awakened  to  a  consciousness  of  their  ov.n 
need. 

At  the  evenin<i'  service  which  followed, 
seventy-five  persons  came  to  tlie  altar,  most 
of  whom  professed  conversion.  The  revi- 
val was  no  lonsjer  a  problem.  It  spread 
thronuhont  the  town  and  community  like 
fire  in  dry  stubble.  The  church  arose  from 
the  fijrave  of  letharjjy  and  formalism,  cast 
off  her  o-rave  clothes — and  the  doctrine  of 
the  resurrection  was  again  abundantly  dem- 
onstrated. 


179 


Chapter  Thirteen. 

Ilrrowes  a  Missionary  Superintendent — Second  Mar- 
riage— An  Unexpected  Welcome — Forms  a  Quaker 
Friendship—The  Spirit  Moves  in  a  Quaker  Meet- 
ing— A  Quaker's  Prayer  Answered — Builds  a  Col- 
lege— Shews  What  to  do  for  a  Dead  Church — 
Another  Tilt  on  the  Doctrine  of  Baptism — Con- 
version  of  a  Dunkard  Preacher — Turns  a  Great 
Movement  in  the  Right  Direction. 

In  tlio  fall  of  ISK),  Kev.  :\rr.  Nowoont  en- 
tered upon  his  duties  as  Superintendent  of 
the  Tennessee  Mission  Conference,  under 
appointment  of  the  Home,  Frontier,  and 
!^)reii»n  ^Missionary  Association.  In  the 
meantime  he  had  married  >Miss  Annie  Orow- 
tlier,  of  Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  who,  under 
tlie  divine  blessing',  a1)ides  as  the  companion 
of  his  joys  and  sorrows  amid  the  leno-tlien- 
in*>-  shadows.  She  is  a  woman  of  rare  and 
excellent  qualities,  which  es])ecialh'  fitted 
her  for  her  position  as  tlie  wife  of  an  active 
and  ambitious  minister.  She  is  in  fullest 
accord  with  her  husband's  and)itions  an<l 
tastes,  and  has  contributed  her  part  toward 
the  success  of  his  career.  Tie  freely  accords 
to  her  this  credit.  With  this  queenly  woman 
ordering  its  affairs,  the  Newj^ent  home  has 
ever  been  a  haven  of  real  rest,  a,  retreat  for 
(lod's  servants  especially.    It  extends  a  wel- 

180 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

come  and  hospitality — a  true  home  spirit — 
that  at  once  makes  the  wayworn  pili^rim 
feel  at  ease  in  body  and  mind,  and  charms 
the  hearts  of  the  young  as  well. 

At  the  time  of  their  removal  to  Tennessee, 
the  United  Brethren  Church  was  new  in  the 
South.  Its  attitude  of  open  hostility  to 
slavery  largely  shut  it  out  of  regions  south 
of  Mason  and  Dixon's  line.  The  Tennessee 
Conference  then  had  less  than  four  lumdred 
members,  with  only  six  houses  of  worship. 
So  a  great  field  spread  out  before  the  new 
Superintendent,  taking  him  back  to  condi- 
tions in  many  respects  similar  to  those  in 
which  he  began  his  ministerial  labors.  It 
was  still  a  time  of  reconstruction  in  church 
affairs  as  well  as  in  matters  political.  But 
his  was  a  work  of  construction  rather  than 
of  reconstruction. 

Aside  from  the  need  of  laborers  and  the 
vast  opportunities  afforded  for  building  up 
the  church  in  this  section,  one  reason  he  had 
for  accepting  this  appointment  was  the 
condition  of  his  own  and  his  wife's  health. 
Both  were  threatened  with  failing  health, 
and  a  change  of  climate  was  advised,  the 
high  altitude  of  eastern  Tennessee  being 
recommended  as  especially  adapted  to  their 
physical  needs. 

181 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

Tliey  arrivod  at  Limestone,  Tennessee,  on 
a  Friday  evenin.!;-  in  September.  Here  was 
illustrated  how  his  fame  as  a  genial,  g-ood 
humored  personality  had  spread  throughout 
the  Chureh,  so  that  the  peo])le  felt  that  they 
were  acquainted  with  ''Jack"  Newgent 
(later  Uncle  Jack)  even  though  they  had 
never  met  him  personally.  Arriving  at  the 
city  some  time  after  dark,  worn  bj^  the  long 
journey,  the  discomforts  of  which  were  ag- 
gravated by  their  poor  health,  they  little 
dreamed  of  finding  in  that  particular  realm 
an  acquaintance  or  anyone  v.ho  had  any  con- 
cern for  them. 

Great  indeed  was  Nev.'gent's  surprise 
when,  as  he  alighted  from  the  train,  a  gen- 
tleman, a  total  stranger,  with  a  Inntern  on 
his  arm,  stepped  up  and  in  a  familiar  man- 
ner accosted  him,  "Hello !  Is  this  Jack  New- 
gent?" 

He  had  been  so  familiarly  known  as 
"Jack,''  that  he  had  resolved  to  be  known 
by  the  more  grave  and  dignified  appellation 
of  Andrew  J.  Newgent  ^^hen  he  came  into 
his  new  kingdom.  But  his  expectation 
perished,  as  it  would  have  done  even  had 
the  circumstances  been  otherwise.  A  man's 
name,  like  his  clothes,  is  a  part  of  him, 
and  if  it  does  not  fit,  his  friends  will  per- 
sist in  trimming  it  until  it  does.  The  per- 
182 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  jack 

sonality  jiikI  I  he  title  cannot  he  uncrjnally 
3'oked  tooethcr. 

"Well,"  said  the  reverend  gentleman  from 
the  TToosicr  State,  "I  snppose  if  T  sliould 
land  in  the  heart  of  Africa,  some  Hottentot 
would  come  rushing  out  of  the  jungle  and 
say,  'Hello,  Jack  Newgent!'  Who  are  you, 
anyway?''  The  stranger  was  Mr.  W.  C. 
Keezel,  a  prominent  layman  in  the  confer- 
ence, who  had  Won  advised  of  their  coming 
by  Dr.  1).  K.  Flickinger,  Secretary  of  the 
Missionary  Society,  and  was  there  to  take 
them  to  his  hos])ital)le  home.  It  was  a  pleas- 
ant snri)rise,  and  they  felt  at  once  that  they 
^^■ere  among  friends  whose  hearts  God  had 
touched  witli  liis  spirit  of  kindness  and 
tenderness.  Their  anxieties  Avere  dispelled, 
and  they  felt  as  near  heaven  in  Tennessee 
as  in  Indiana. 

Next  day  his  host  took  him  on  a  ten-mile 
ride  by  horseback  over  a  mountain  road  to 
a  quarterly  conference,  where  he  met  a  num- 
ber of  ministers,  and  began  to  get  ac- 
quainted with  his  new  co-workers.  His 
presence  tilled  the  little  band  of  faithful 
toilers  with  new  hope  and  courage.  He 
preached  the  folloAving  day  (Sunday)  at  a 
neighboring  church  to  an  immense  crowd. 
Here  he  met  IJev.  Eli  Marshall,  a  minister 
of    repute    in    the    Quaker — or    Friends — 

1S3 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

church,  wilh  whom  lie  was  destintMi  to  form 
a  close  friendship,  a  friendship  which  re- 
vealed later  to  both  of  these  servants  of  God 
how  mysteriously  (Jod  moves  in  answer  to 
the  earnest  prayers  of  his  faithful  cliildren. 

Kev.  Mr.  Marshall  was  not  only  an  able 
minister,  but  was  also  a  successful  business 
man,  beinci;  the  owner  of  several  plantations. 
He  took  Newji'ent  to  his  home,  and  later 
sliowed  him  a  con,o-enial  cottacje  on  one  of 
his  plantations.  "This  is  at  thy  disposal," 
he  said,  "if  it  suits  thee."  Kewcjent  replied 
that  it  was  ju.'-t  such  a  place  as  he  w:is  look- 
ing for,  as  it  was  but  a  short  distance  from 
town  and  the  railroad  station,  and  inquired 
as  to  the  rental  value. 

"Just  move  in,"  said  Marshall,  "we  v/ill 
talk  about  that  some  other  time." 

But  when  Kewp:ent  insisted,  he  set  a 
nominal  price,  which  indicated  that  he  was 
not  especially  concerned  about  the  financial 
side  of  the  transaction.  He  furthermore 
insisted  on  transporting  Newgent's  house- 
hold goods  from  the  station,  but  this  priv- 
ilege he  was  compelled  to  share  with  Mr. 
Keezel.  While  they  were  moving  his  goods 
from  the  train,  his  Quaker  neighbors  set  to 
work  and  filled  the  smoke-house  with  pro- 
visions, and  supplied  sufficient  fuel  to  last 
him  through  the  winter.     Such  expressions 

184 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

of  kindness  and  <j;vm.n'osity  seldom  had  been 
seen. 

The  fourth  week  in  October  was  the  time 
for  the  Quakers'  yearly  meetino:,  to  be  held 
at  Rev.  ]\[r.  ^Inrshall's  home  church.  He 
had  issued  au  order  to  Newivent  to  have  no 
engaj^'cment  for  that  time,  as  his  presence 
and  help  were  desired  at  the  meeting*.  Un- 
der the  circumstances  there  was  but  one 
thing  to  do,  and  that  was  to  respect  the 
order.  These  meetings  were  matters  of  no 
small  sii^nificance  in  that  denomination. 
They  usually  lasted  several  days,  and  were 
great  seasons  of  fellowship.  They  were 
very  largely  attended  so  that  the  progi'am 
sometimes  had  to  be  carried  out  in  several 
sections.  Newgent  had  never  had  the  priv- 
ilege of  attending  a  Quaker  meeting,  but  his 
appreciation  of  the  Quakers  by  this  time 
knew  no  bounds. 

He  first  went  to  the  meeting  on  Saturday 
morning  and  was  surprised  to  find  more 
than  a  thousand  people  on  the  ground.  His 
friend,  Rev.  Mr.  Marshall,  met  him  immedi- 
ately and  said,  "If  the  Spirit  moves  thee 
to  preach  to-day,  we  want  thee  to  preach  in 
the  church  this  morning."  Some  one  v.-as 
to  preach  in  the  school  house  nearby.  The 
Spirit  moved,  and  Newgent  preached. 
185 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

In  the  afternoon  he  was  "moved''  to 
preacli  anain.  He  was  urged  to  preach 
again  at  night.  This  time  the  Spirit  was 
not  consulted,  but  his  preaching  had 
touched  a  responsive  cliord  in  the  Quaker 
heart,  so  it  was  taken  for  granted  that  the 
Spirit  would  be  favorable.  An  out-door 
service  and  a  service  in  the  scliool  house 
besides  that  in  the  church  were  required  in 
order  to  accommodate  the  crowd.  Newgent 
declined  to  preach  at  this  time,  not  wishing 
to  usurp  the  honors  that  belonged  to  the 
(Quaker  preachers.  But  the  Quaker  "Spirit" 
refused  to  let  him  off.  He  was  even  urged 
to  sing  a  special  song,  which  was  a  great 
departure  from  Quaker  usage  in  those  days. 
While  preaching  with  his  usual  power,  it 
was  (indent  to  him  that  great  conviction 
prevailed  in  the  congregation.  As  he  had 
been  invited  to  depart  from  one  oif  the 
Quaker  usages,  he  now  felt  bold  to  depart 
from  anotlier.  Indeed  he  felt  strongly 
moved  by  the  Spirit  to  give  ;in  invitation  for 
seekers  to  come  to  the  altar.  The  invitation 
given,  the  altar  was  soon  crowded  with  anx- 
ious ])enitents.  He  then  called  upon  the 
Quakers  to  come  forward  and  to  sing  and 
pray  with  the  seekers.  This  a  considerable 
number  did,  casting  aside  all  reser^-e,  nnd 
the  meeting  became  a  typical  United  Breth- 
186 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

ren  revival.  It  was  one  time  when  the 
Spirit  "moved"  beyond  question  in  a 
Quaker  meeting. 

He  was  <>iven  right  of  way  in  the  chnrch 
on  Sunday  moi-ning,  Sunday  evening,  and 
Mon<hiy  evening.  A  new  element  was  thus 
diffused  into  Quakerdom.  He  held  a  meet- 
ing in  that  same  community  a  few  weeks 
later,  in  which  the  (Quakers  took  a  leading 
part,  and  which  resulted  in  about  a  hun- 
dred conversions. 

The  best  i)art  of  the  whole  procedure 
came  to  light  when  Newgent  called  to  pay 
his  landlord  the  small  pittance  that  was 
clue  on  rent.  Rev.  Mv.  ^Marshall  refused  to 
accept  even  the  nominal  amount  that  had 
been  agreed  upon. 

"Let  me  explain,"  he  said,  "I  have  never 
told  anybody  what  I  am  going  to  tell  thee — 
not  even  my  wife.  Some  three  months  ago 
I  moved  my  foreman  out  of  that  house,  and 
began  to  pray  for  the  Lord  to  send  ns  a 
good,  live  preacher  from  the  North.  I  had 
got  tired  of  these  slow-going  Southern  fel- 
lows. But  I  forgot  to  tell  the  Lord  to  send 
a  Quaker.  So  the  Lord  was  free  to  send 
whomsoever  he  pleased.  And  the  first  time 
I  heard  thee  preach,  I  said,  'There  is  the 
answer  to  my  prayer,'  Now,  it  would  not 
do  for  me  to  charge  rent  of  the  man  the 
187 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

Lord  sent  in  answer  to  my  prayer,  when  he 
is  living  in  the  property  I  vacated  for  him 
when  I  besought  the  Lord  to  send  him. 
That  house  is  for  thee  as  long-  as  thee  wants 
it." 

When  this  noble  soul  was  called  to 
heaven  some  years  later,  llev.  Mr.  Newgent 
was  called  from  a  distant  State  to  preach 
his  funeral.     Truly,  he  was  a  man  of  (Jod. 

When  the  conference  projected  a  college 
enterprise  at  Greenville,  Rev.  Mr.  Newgent 
took  up  his  residence  at  that  place  so  as  to 
give  personal  attention  and  encouragement 
to  the  institution.  This  college  was  after- 
wards iiioved  to  White  Piue,  Xewgent  being 
the  leading  spirit  in  tlie  matter  of  reloca- 
tion. He  served  as  financial  agent  and 
supervised  the  construction  of  the  building. 
Through  his  personal  efforts  the  building 
was  erected  and  paid  for. 

The  evangelistic  gift  and  executive  fac- 
ulty, botli  of  which  were  prominent  in  our 
subject,  peculiarly  fitted  him  for  the  duties 
of  Missionary  Superintendent  amid  such 
conditions  as  the  Tennessee  Conference  pre- 
sented. ]Much  incipient  work  had  to  be 
done.  The  routine  work  of  his  office  re- 
quired only  a  small  portion  of  his  time,  leav- 
ing liim  free  to  do  the  work  of  an  evangel- 
ist, to  encourage  weak  churches  and  to  sur- 
188 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

vey  new  territory  to  c(>u(|iicr.  This  narra- 
tive has  already  afforded  many  exaiiiph's  of 
Iiis  constructive  work  alono-  these  lines. 
One  more  characteristic  incident  may  not 
be  out  of  place. 

Near  Limestone,  Tennessee,  was  a  church 
\\'liich  was  so  unpromisin|T  that  the  quar- 
terly conference  seriously  cousiderwl  aban- 
doniui;-  it  and  disposiui^'  of  the  property.  It 
was  well  located,  but  there  were  strong 
churches  on  either  side,  and  the  little 
church,  overshadowed  as  it  was  by  these 
older  oroanizations,  had  never  been  able  to 
gain  a.  proper  standing-. 

"Let  US  give  it  another  chance,"  said  New- 
gent,  who  was  presiding  at  the  meeting.  "I 
will  hold  a  meeting  there  at  the  first  oppor- 
tunity, and  we  will  see  if  it  can  be  saved." 
He  held  the  meeting  accordingly  and  re- 
ceived ninety-seven  members  into  the 
cliurch,  and  the  little,  struggling  church 
was  lifted  to  such  a  position  of  prestige 
and  prominence  that  it  overshadowed  its 
rivals,  becoming  a  strong  center  of  religious 
influence. 

But  it  was  not  enough  to  merely  get  peo- 
ple converted  and  brought  into  the  churcli. 
They  must  be  taught  in  the  doctrines  of  the 
church,  so  as  not  to  get  their  doctrinal  ideas 
from  other  sources. 

189 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

One  of  the  strong-  cliurclies  of  this  com- 
nuinity  was  of  the  Diinkard  order,  and 
mainly  tlii-oiiiiii  its  inflnenee  a  strong  im- 
mersion sentiment  i)revailed.  At  the  elose 
of  the  revival  there  were  a  large  nnmber  of 
applicants  for  bai)tism.  According  to  pre- 
vjiiling  custom,  all  expected  to  be  immersed. 
It  was  in  order  on  such  occasions  for  the 
baptismal  service  to  be  prefaced  by  a  ser- 
mon on  baptism.  Rev.  Mr.  Newgent  took 
advantage  of  the  opportunity  to  make  some 
remarks  on  the  mode  of  ba,]>tism,  which  was 
the  one  live  subject  in  religious  circles.  In 
his  discourse  he  said : 

"We  often  hear  people  s<iy,  ^I  want  to  be 
baptized  as  Jesus  was.'  I  do  not  share  this 
sentiment.  For  in  one  essential  respect  Je- 
sus' baptism  was  dilTerent  from  ours.  It 
was  for  a  different  purpose.  He  was  bap- 
tized to  fulfill  the  law;  we,  because  we  are 
sinners,  eitlu^r  for  the  forgiveness  of  sins 
or  because  they  are  forg-iven. 

"But  we  may  be  baptized  in  the  same 
manner  in  which  he  was  baptized,  and  if 
you  wish,  I  will  tell  you  what  that  was. 
Paul  said,  'He  was  made  a.  ])riest  like  unto 
his  bretliren.'  Jesus  said,  'T  am  come,  not 
to  destroy  the  law  or  the  ])rophets,  but  to 
fulfdl.'  He  fulfilled  evei'y  jot  and  tittle  of 
the  law.    The  law  required  a  priest  to  have 

100 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

the  water  of  consecration  sprinkled  upon 
his  head  when  he  was  thirty  years  of  aj^'e. 
ITence,  if  Christ  was  made  a,  priest  like  his 
brethren,  it  is  easy  to  see  that  his  baptism 
was  the  same  as  that  of  the  priests,  his 
brethren,  and  that  the  water  was  sprinkled 
upon  his  head  at  the  aj?e  of  thirty;  other- 
wise he  would  not  have  fultilled  every  jot 
and  tittle  of  the  law." 

xi.  prominent  Dunkard  j^reacher  present 
made  a  public  statement  at  the  close  of  the 
discourse  to  the  effect  that,  while  he  had  al- 
ways believed  and  taught  that  Christ  was 
baptized  by  immersion,  he  was  now  fully 
convinced  that  he  had  been  mistaken.  When 
they  came  to  the  baptismal  service,  all  the 
applicants  chose  the  mode  of  sprinkling, 
though  they  had  come  prepared  to  be  im- 
mersed. 

lender  his  capable  and  aggressive  leader- 
ship the  conference  maintained  a  steady 
growth.  At  first  its  territory  was  confined 
to  the  eastern  part  of  the  State.  But  in 
the  early  nineties  he,  with  some  other  min- 
isters, advanced  to  the  central  and  western 
parts  of  the  State  on  a  sort  of  missionary- 
evangelistic  campaign.  They  held  a  num- 
ber of  meetings  and  were  successful  in  win- 
ning quite  a  sprinkling  of  converts.  The 
work  thus  accomplished  made  possible  the 
191 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

()io;anization  of  what  was  then  known  as 
the  Tennessee  Iliver  Confen^nce  in  1896. 

One  of  the  most  important  events  in  con- 
nection with  the  Tennessee  Conference,  and 
which  was  bronsht  about  mainly  thron<;h 
his  inlluence,  occurred  in  1895.  It  is  re- 
ferred to  as  follows  in  Berger's  History  of 
the  United  Brethren  Chnrch,  page  614 : 

"About  two  years  ago  a  movement  which 
had  been  for  some  time  in  process  of  devel- 
o]>ment,  began  to  take  definite  form,  result- 
ing in  considerable  additions  both  of  min- 
isters and  laymen  to  the  United  Brethren 
Clnirch.  The  greater  number  of  these  came 
from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  some 
from  the  M.  E.  Church,  South,  and  a  few 
from  other  denominations.  Those  coming 
from  the  Methodist  churches  were  attracted 
chiefly  by  the  milder  form  of  episcopal  gov- 
ernment in  the  United  Brethren  Churcli. 
There  was  for  them  no  possible  inducement 
in  material  or  worldly  considerations.  They 
conld  not  look  for  larger  salaries  or  easier 
fields  of  labor  or  lighter  sacrifices,  nor  was 
the  prospect  of  official  promotion  better 
tlian  in  the  churches  from  which  they  came. 
Nor  could  they  bring  witli  them  anv  of  the 
church-houses  or  other  property  which  they 
had  aided  in  building.  No  thought  or  hope 
of  this  kind  was  entertained;  much  less  was 

192 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

any  effort  made  to  do  so.  Influenced  by 
principle  alone,  and  in  the  face  of  present 
loss,  they  chose  to  cast  in  their  lot  with  us, 
and  they  have  addressed  themselves  earn- 
estly to  the  work  in  their  new  relations. 
About  twenty-five  ministers  in  all,  with  a 
considerable  number  of  members,  have  thus 
connected  themselves  with  the  United 
Brethren.  AmonjT^  the  leadiui;  ministers  of 
the  movement  are:  Dr.  T,  C.  Carter,  Rev. 
W.  L.  Richardson,  J.  D.  Droke,  and  others. 
They  have  been  s:iven  a  cordial  welcome  by 
the  United  Brethren  Church,  not  in  any 
spirit  of  proselytism,  for  no  proselyting^  was 
done,  nor  from  any  desire  to  reap  where 
others  have  sown,  but  with  an  open  heart 
and  door  to  receive  any  persons  who  love 
our  common  Lord  and  desire  to  cast  their 
lot  with  us." 

It  seems  a  pity,  however,  that  church  his- 
tory is  so  silent  in  reo:ard  to  Rev.  ^Ir.  New- 
scent's  connection  with  this  event,  for  it  was 
he  who  turned  this  movement  toward  the 
United  Brethren  Church.  Those  who  re- 
fused to  tolerate  what  they  considered 
abuses  of  episcopal  supervision  in  the  two 
^eat  Methodist  bodies  were  in  the  very  act 
of  forminc:  a  new  church.  In  this  movement 
Dr.  T.  C.  Carter,  now  Bishop  Carter,  occu- 
pied a  conspicuous  place  of  leadership,  as 

193 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

he  (lid  in  every  great  religious  movement  in 
that  part  of  the  country.  His  name  was  a 
household  word  in  all  that  realm,  and  when 
he  spoke,  multitudes  reverently  listened. 
Kev.  ^Ir.  Xewgent  met  him,  and  showed  him 
a  Discipline  of  the  United  Brethren  Church, 
believing  that  it  set  forth  the  very  prin- 
ciples of  church  government  for  which  these 
great  souls  were  contending,  and  thus  pre- 
sented the  alternative  of  connecting  them- 
selves with  a  denomination  that  afforded 
what  they  wanted,  or  of  adding  to  the  num- 
ber of  denominational  organizations  which 
nmny  believed  were  already  too  many.  Doc- 
tor Carter  suggested  that  Disciplines  and 
other  United  Brethren  literature  be  sent  to 
the  leading  ministers  of  the  movement. 
This  was  accordingly  done;  and  as  a  re- 
sult they  decided  to  ccmnect  themselves 
with  the  United  Brethren  Church. 

They  were  formally  received  in  a  special 
conference  held  in  Knoxville.  A  number  of 
the  Bishops,  general  officers,  and  leading 
ministers  and  laymen  throughout  the  de- 
nomination attended  this  conference,  which 
was  presided  over  by  Bishop  Weaver.  One 
of  the  leading  ministers  of  the  movement, 
in  delivering  the  ^^•elcome  address  on  that 
occasion,  made  use  of  the  following  lan- 
guage : 

194 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

"I  am  certain  that  one-half  the  member- 
ship of  both  churches  (the  Methodist  bod- 
ies) heartily  prefer  a  church  government  of 
the  people,  by  the  people,  and  for  the  peo- 
ple, to  their  own.  ...  In  view  of  these 
things,  I  may  venture  to  say  that  a  strong 
church  that  will  fill  the  valleys  and  moun- 
tains of  this  country  with  a  religious  paper 
devoted  to  Arminianism  and  liberty,  and 
will  follow  up  this  plan  with  men  and  with 
churches  may  expect  a  glorious  welcome." 


195 


Chapter  Fourteen. 

Autumn — The  Fading  Leaf — Fruit  in  Old  Age — His 
Later  Labors — Present  Home. 

"We  all  do  fade  as  a  leaf,"  was  the  lam- 
entation of  an  ancient  prophet  in  a  melan- 
choly mood.  The  fading  leaf  speaks  in  sad 
but  beautiful  language  of  waning  vitality. 
It  is  the  harbinger  of  autumn,  telling  us  that 
nature  is  getting  ready  to  close  her  books 
for  the  season.  It  brings  with  it  a  tinge 
of  sadness  mingled  with  sweetness ;  for  there 
is  compensation  in  even  the  saddest  experi- 
ences. What  would  the  year  be  without  the 
pensive  days  of  autumn?  They  are  the 
golden  fringes  of  the  bounteous  summer 
season.  Sad,  indeed,  would  they  be  if  the 
summer  has  been  ill  spent.  Then  might 
the  melancholy  wail  arise  from  the  forlorn 
heart,  "The  harvest  is  past,  the  summer  is 
ended." 

But  when  autumn  looks  back  upon  a 
springtime  of  bountiful  seed-sowing,  and  a 
summer  of  bountiful  reaping,  it  becomes  the 
year's  climax  of  jo}*,  the  beneficiary  of  all 
its  blessings.  Enriched  by  the  summer's 
heritage,  it  is  beautiful  and  peaceful  and 
happy. 

196 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

"We  all  do  fade  as  a  leaf."  May  it  be  said 
philosophically.  The  fading-  of  the  leaf  re- 
veals more  perfectly  its  innate  qualities, 
and  rounds  out  its  brief  existence.  The  red 
or  brown  or  yellow,  in  mute  lanG:uage,  tells 
its  life  history  and  closes  the  book. 

It  is  said  of  the  aged,  sometimes,  "They 
are  set  in  th(Mr  ways."  That  is  because  in 
them  character  has  become  a  finished  prod- 
uct. The  incidentals  and  accidentals  have 
become  eliminated,  and  the  accumulated 
results  of  years  of  strivino-  and  hoping,  sor- 
row and  pain,  defeats  and  victories  are 
plainly  discernible.  Personal  traits  stand 
out  in  bold  relief  so  that  all  may  fittingly 
say,  "Behold  the  man." 

Thus,  Uncle  Jack — for  we  may  now  use 
this  affectionate  designation,  having  passed 
his  three  score  and  ten,  is  now  in  the  au- 
tumnal glory  of  a  life  beautiful  and  boun- 
tiful in  its  fruitage.  And  so  the  autumn  of 
his  life  is  enriched  and  made  fragrant  by  the 
year's  benedictions.  Blessed,  indeed,  is  he 
to  whom  it  is  given  to  enjoy  a  long  period 
of  service,  and  who  can  then  gracefully  let 
his  mantle  pass  to  others  whom  God  has 
called  and  prepared  to  receive  it.  To  grow 
old  sw^eetly,  to  let  the  sun  go  dowTi  amid 
the  splendors  of  an  unclouded  evening  sky, 
is  the  crowning  glory  of  old  age. 

\97 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

Blef^sed,  indeed,  then,  is  Uncle  Jack.  He 
approaches  this  period  in  life,  not  only  in 
the  spirit  of  a  trne  philosopher,  hut  in  the 
spirit  of  a  true  Christian.  He  still  lives  in 
the  sunshine,  he  keeps  the  windows  open  to 
the  breezes  that  bring  to  him  the  fragrance 
of  flowers,  the  song  of  birds,  and  the  "music 
of  the  spheres."  The  world  smiles  upon  him 
and  he  returns  its  smile. 

He  has  lived  in  an  active,  changing  age, 
but  has  always  kept  up  with  the  procession. 
He  performed  a  vital  part  in  the  changing 
order  in  which  he  lived  and  moved  and  had 
his  being;  and  he  who  helps  to  fashion 
events,  who  has  a  part  in  directing  the  move- 
ments of  progress,  is  not  likely  to  be  left 
behind  or  to  be  trampled  under  foot.  He 
not  only  kept  pace  with  the  world,  but  with 
a  prophet's  vision,  he  anticipated  the  course 
of  human  events.  So,  as  great  changes  ap- 
proached, he  was  ready  to  march  out  to 
meet  them.  Like  a  true  prophet,  he  had  a 
message  for  his  own  day  and  generation, 
but  the  message  was  more  potent  because 
he  had  a  vision  of  things  yet  to  be. 

In  him  is  illustrated  the  Psalmist's  ob- 
servation concerning  the  children  of  God, 
"They  shall  bring  forth  fruit  in  old  age." 
For  him  there  is  no  "dead  line."  The  body 
may  lose  its  agility;  it  may  fail  to  do  the 
J98 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

bidding  of  the  mind  properly,  but  the  mind 
and  heart  remain  abreast  of  the  times.  The 
dead  line  means  more  than  physical  infirm- 
ity, and  it  often  occurs  that  the  mind  linjj^cps 
near  that  dread  spot  while  the  body  is  in  its 
prime.  The  dead  line  belongs  to  the  mind 
and  not  to  the  body,  and  hence,  taking  that 
view  of  it,  there  is  no  dead  line  for  Uncle 
Jack. 

It  is  given  to  but  few  men  to  continue  in 
the  public  ministry  until  the}^  pass  their 
three  score  and  ten.  Uncle  Jack  had  never 
been  out  of  the  active  connection  in  some 
form  from  the  time  he  entered  the  ministry 
until  his  seventy-third  year,  giving  more 
than  a  half-century  of  unbroken  service  to 
the  public  work  of  the  Church. 

In  the  interest  of  accurac}'  and  complete- 
ness, more  specific  mention  should  be  made 
of  his  later  work.  After  spending  eleven 
years  as  presiding  elder  in  Tennessee  Con- 
ference, he  returned  North  for  a  time,  serv- 
ing as  pastor  at  Veedersburg,  Indiana,  as 
college  pastor  at  Westfield,  Illinois,  as  pas- 
tor at  Olne}',  Illinois,  and  three  years  as 
presiding  elder  in  Upper  Wabash  Confer- 
ence. His  work  as  pastor  at  Veedersburg 
included  two  periods,  one  of  three  years', 
and  the  other  of  four  years'  duration.    This 

199 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

was  one  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  influen- 
tial churches  in  Upper  Wabash  Conference. 

Keturninf?  to  Tennessee — now  East  Ten- 
nessee— Conference,  he  was  again  elected  to 
the  presiding;  eldership,  serving  five  years  in 
that  relation.  Altogether  he  spent  twenty- 
one  years  in  the  Tennessee  Conference,  serv- 
ing five  years  in  the  pastorate  besides  six- 
teen years  in  the  presiding  elder's  office. 

His  last  work  in  the  pastorate  was  at 
Clarinda,  Iowa,  being  called  from  there  to 
the  field  agency  for  Indiana  Central  Uni- 
versity at  Indianapolis  by  the  trustees  of 
that  institution.  He  has  always  been  in- 
terested in  the  educational  work  of  the 
Church.  In  his  varied  experience  in  reli- 
gious work  he  has  seen  demonstrated  in  so 
many  ways  the  need  of  an  educated  minis- 
try. So  he  entered  upon  this  latter  work 
with  a  deep  conviction  of  its  importance, 
and  with  the  earnestness  and  zeal  which 
characterized  his  labors  all  through  life; 
but  finding  his  physical  strength  insufficient 
for  its  taxing  demands,  he  was  compelled 
to  relinquish  it. 

In  the  fall  of  1910  he  again  attended  the 
East  Tennessee  Conference  session,  desiring 
only  to  enjoy  its  fellowship.  He  had  no 
thought  of  assuming  again  an  active  rela- 
tion in  the  conference,  but  his  brethren  were 

200 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

loath  to  lot  him  escape.  When  the  election 
of  presidin.u;  elder  was  called,  their  minds 
once  more  centered  upon  him,  and  he  lacked 
but  four  votes  of  beinc^  the  unanimous 
choice  of  the  conference.  This,  however, 
broujTjht  him  to  face  a  delicate  matter  which 
set  a  task  for  his  tender  conscience.  Seeing 
that  his  election  meant  the  crowdinsj  of  a 
worthy  younw  man  out  of  an  appointment, 
he  very  "-enerously  resicjned  the  office  with 
instructions  to  the  Bishop  that  this  youni; 
man  be  pven  the  place. 

nis  present  home  is  at  Odon,  Indiana. 
Here  he  finds  himself  amonc:  sympathetic 
friends,  and  is  near  the  scenes  of  his  early 
childhood.  He  takes  pleasure  in  doins^  what 
he  can  in  the  local  church,  settinc:  a  whole- 
some example  to  the  membership  by  his 
faithful  attendance  at  all  the  services  and 
by  loyal  and  liberal  support  of  all  its  inter- 
ests. Here  he  enjoys  the  hearty  cfood  will 
of  old  and  younp:  alike,  and  has  frequent 
calls  for  addresses  at  various  functions, 
where  he  is  always  greeted  with  unfeif::ned 
deli, oh  t. 

AA'bile  not  employed  in  a  reijular  way  by 
the  Church,  an  appreciative  public  will  con- 
tinue to  recognize  his  worth,  and  keep  ajar 
the  door  of  opportunity  for  renderino;  valu- 
able service  to  his  fellow  men. 
201 


Chapter  Fifteen. 

Character  Sketch. 

The  analysis  of  a  flower  is  the  work,  not 
of  the  florist,  but  of  the  botanist.  The  flor- 
ist sees  in  the  combination  of  the  various 
parts  the  beant^^  of  a  perfected  whole,  while 
the  botanist  sees  the  parts  separated  and 
classified  but  loses  sight  of  the  flower  itself. 
The  florist's  viewpoint  is  preferable  to  that 
of  the  botanist.  This  is  no  less  true  in  deal- 
ing with  human  life  than  in  the  treatment 
of  a  flower.  However,  in  the  interest  of 
thoroughness,  some  attention  should  be 
given  to  a  study  of  the  particular  elements 
of  character  which  give  to  our  subject  his 
peculiar  individuality  and  made  possible 
that  degree  of  eminence  which  he  has  won 
for  himself.  The  task  is  not  an  easy  one. 
This  is  true  in  the  case  of  all  men  of  su- 
perior strength.  The  sources  of  power  are 
so  embedded  in  the  depths  of  one's  person- 
ality as  to  make  them  difficult  to  trace.  In 
the  presence  of  such  men  we  are  instinc- 
tively aware  of  their  superiority,  but  if 
asked  to  give  a  reason  for  our  impressions 
we  would  be  unable  to  do  so.  The  power  of 
a  personality  is  to  be  felt  rather  than  ex- 
202 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

plained  or  analyzed.  It  i;^  this  invisible,  un- 
definable  soniethino-  that  lifts  the  man  above 
the  level  of  tlie  commonplace  and  j]jives  liim 
a  commandinji'  inlluence  amonij^  his  fellows. 
The  strength  of  some  characters  is  due  to 
one  or  two  exceptionally  strong  traits,  while 
in  other  particulars  they  may  be  correspond- 
ingly weak.  The  world  sees  only  the  moun- 
tain peaks  of  strength  and  upon  them  it 
builds  its  estimate  of  the  man.  To  this  rule 
Rev.  A.  J.  Newgent  is  one  of  tlie  rare  ex- 
ceptions. "Like  a  tree  planted  by  the  rivers 
of  water,"  the  distinctive  feature  of  his  life 
is  rather  in  the  full  and  symmetrical  devel- 
opment of  the  various  qualities  of  mature 
and  well-rounded  manhood.  Hence,  he  is 
essentially  a  man  of  the  people — not  a  man 
of  one  class,  but  of  all  classes,  the  embodi- 
ment of  the  true  spirit  of  democrarcy.  Like 
Paul,  he  can  be  all  things  to  all  men  with- 
out sacrificing  principle  or  dignity  or  los- 
ing the  respect  of  any  of  them.  His  sympa- 
thies are  broad  and  deep,  and  go  out  to  all 
alike.  There  is  no  assumed  or  conscious 
superiority  to  create  a  barrier  between  him- 
self and  the  humblest  soul.  He  observes  no 
arbitrary  distinctions.  Whoever  he  chances 
to  meet  is  at  once  a  friend  and  brother.  He 
possesses  in  a  large  degree  the  rare  faculty 
of  making  people  feel  at  home  in  his  pres- 
203 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

once.  Fads  and  snobs  and  artificiality  he 
hates  as  he  hates  sin.  The  glitter  and  tinsel 
show  of  life  are  counted  as  dross,  bnt  the 
pure  gold  of  human  character  that  needs  no 
outward  adornment  is  his  delight. 

His  well-balanced  temperament  ienables 
him  to  so  adjust  himself  to  different  condi- 
tions, that  he  is  invariably  master  of  the 
situation  in  which  he  may  be  placed.  In  the 
home,  whether  marked  by  riches  or  poverty, 
culture  or  illiteracy,  he  is  always  the  same 
genial  guest.  To  the  children,  young  peo- 
ple, and  old  folks  alike,  the  presence  of 
"Uncle  Jack"  is  always  welcome.  In  his 
public  ministry,  whatever  the  demands  of 
the  occasion,  he  is  ready  to  meet  them. 
Never  is  he  at  the  mercy  of  his  surround- 
ings. Not  many  months  ago,  while  doing 
service  as  field  secretary  for  Indiana  Cen- 
tral University,  he  was  secured  by  the  pas- 
tor of  a  country  church  to  hold  an  all-day 
meeting.  The  morning  program  was  inter- 
fered with  by  a  severe  rainstorm,  so  that  be- 
sides himself  and  the  pastor,  only  three  per- 
sons were  present.  Yet,  he  preached  to  his 
small  audience  with  his  wonted  zeal  and 
earnestness,  the  effort  being  pronounced  by 
those  Avho  heard  it  superior  to  the  one  in 
the  afternoon,  when  he  had  the  inspiration 
of  a  full  house. 

204 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

He  never  follows  the  beaten  paths  simply 
because  others  have  walked  therein.  The 
fact  that  some  one  else  did  a  thing  in  a  cer- 
tain way  is  not  sufficient  reason  why  lie 
should  proceed  upon  the  same  plan.  He 
imitates  no  one  and  it  is  safe  to  say  no  one 
imitates  him,  for  the  reason  that  he  is  so 
intensely  original ;  the  processes  of  his  mind 
are  so  completely  his  o^ti  that  no  one  could 
well  repeat  them.  Bishop  Edwards  once 
said,  "There  is  one  man  whose  sermons  no 
one  has  ever  tried  to  copy ;  that  man  is  New- 
gent."  This  originality  has  been  a  valuable 
asset  in  debate.  His  opponent  might  come 
with  his  mind  well  furnished  with  all  the 
laws  of  logic,  the  tactics  known  to  debaters, 
and  the  arguments  on  both  sides  of  the  ques- 
tion well  in  hand,  only  to  find  his  materials 
practically  useless.  Rev.  Mr.  Newgent's 
method  being  so  unique,  his  approach  to  the 
subject  from  such  unexpected  angles,  and 
his  presentation  of  unheard-of  arguments  in 
defending  his  position,  while  transgressing 
no  valid  law  of  debate  or  of  logic,  made  him 
a  law  unto  himself.  The  opinions  of  other 
men  rather  than  being  accepted  as  author- 
ity, only  serve  to  quicken  his  thought  and 
incite  to  investigation.  In  preaching  he  is 
purely  extemporaneous,  often  deferring  the 
selection  of  a  text  or  theme  until  after  he 
205 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

enters  the  pulpit.  But  his  resourceful 
mind,  well  stocked  with  information,  the  re- 
sult of  general  reading  and  observation, 
and  his  aptness  at  illustration,  rendered 
safe  for  him  what  to  some  men  would  be  a 
hazardous  undertaking. 

While  original  in  his  thinking,  he  never 
discredits  the  opinions  of  others,  no  mat- 
ter how  widely  they  may  differ  from  his 
own.  Honesty  and  sincerity  he  regards  as 
superior  to  articles  of  faith.  "If  no  one 
gets  to  heaven  except  those  who  believe  as  I 
do,"  he  often  says,  "the  audience  there  will 
be  rather  small."  David  said,  in  his  haste, 
"All  men  are  liars."  If  Kev.  Mr.  Newgent 
should  err  in  his  judgment  of  mankind,  it 
would  more  likely  be  in  the  opposite  direc- 
tion. A  source  of  strength  is  his  faith  in 
men,  their  possibilities  and  aspirations  for 
better  things.  To  be  a  leader  of  men,  this 
faith  is  imperative.  Beneath  the  surface 
shale  of  human  differences,  selfishness  and 
error,  may  be  found  a  sub-stratum  of  gen- 
uine manhood.  And  upon  this  the  true 
builder  must  build.  He  must  recognize  that 
he  is  dealing  with  intelligent  beings  who  can 
think  and  feel,  and  who  are  possessed  with 
a  sense  of  honor  and  self-respect.  The  man 
who  would  inspire  others  to  higher  things 
must  not  despise  or  ignore  these  vital  fac- 

206 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

tors  of  individual  consciousness.  There  are 
sacred  precincts  in  every  life  which  the 
owner  has  a  ri^ht  to  j^uard  as  with  a  flam- 
ins:  sword,  and  which  should  not  be  ap- 
proaclied  except  with  unsandaled  feet  and 
sanctified  hands.  That  there  is  more  real 
incentive  to  noble  effort  in  a  vision  of  the 
possibilities  and  beauty  of  a  noble  life  than 
in  the  lash,  is  a  prominent  article  in  Kev. 
Mr.  Newp;ent's  faith.  The  spirit  of  "anti- 
ism"  and  the  methods  used  by  a  certain 
type  of  evauiiclists  of  pourinoj  out  the  vials 
of  their  sarcastic  and  vituperative  wrath 
upon  men  and  thiniis  in  o-eneral  are  offen- 
sive to  him  in  the  extreme.  Hence,  the  posi- 
tive note  is  always  dominant  in  his  preach- 
in  p;. 

The  secret  of  "ettinoj  on  with  men  is  in 
knowinj?  what  chord  to  strike  to  get  the  de- 
sired response.  That  he  knows  well  the 
secret,  the  achievements  of  his  career  bear 
ample  testimony.  An  incident  in  his  boy- 
hood may  not  be  out  of  place  here,  as  it  il- 
lustrates the  principle  by  which  he  has  been 
actuated  throuohout  his  entire  life  in  his 
relations  with  men.  He  was  employed  at 
a  saw-mill.  The  lo;i?s  were  hauled  from  the 
forest  to  the  mill  with  oxen.  That  an  ox 
team  is  no  friend  to  c^race,  is  the  jjeneral 
verdict    of    those   who   have   experimental 

207 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

knowledge  of  ox-driving.  One  large,  burly 
team  in  particular  that  was  noted  for  ob- 
stinacy and  general  degeneracy,  had  defied 
all  the  skill  and  whips  and  profanity  the 
driver  could  produce.  He  repeatedly  had 
gone  to  the  woods  for  his  load  and  returned 
with  the  empty  wagon.  At  a  critical  point 
in  the  road  the  team  would  balk  and  refuse 
to  budge  until  the  wagon  was  unloaded.  It 
became  a  standing  challenge  to  the  entire 
crowd,  different  ones  of  whom  accepted  the 
challenge,  with  the  same  result.  Finally 
Jack,  as  he  was  then  called,  asked  permis- 
sion to  try.  He  was  only  a  spindling  lad  of 
a  hundred-weight  avoirdupois,  and  the  very 
suggestion  was  met  with  jeers.  "Have  you 
ever  driven  oxen?"  he  was  asked.  "No," 
was  the  reply,  "but  I  think  I  have  ox  sense." 
They  finally  consented,  but  no  one  expected 
anything  but  another  failure.  The  driver 
offered  him  the  whip.  "I  don't  need  the 
whip,"  he  said,  and  started  for  his  charge. 
He  made  friends  with  his  dumb  servants, 
rubbed  their  ears,  spoke  to  them  coaxingly, 
and  soon  had  them  on  the  way  to  the  woods. 
He  took  the  precaution  to  provide  himself 
with  a  small  bag  of  corn.  He  succeeded  in 
getting  the  log  on  the  wagon  and  again 
patted  the  oxen,  and  as  a  reward  of  merit, 
gave  them  each  a  nubbin,  letting  them  see 

208 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

that  there  was  more  in  tlie  has;-  that  would 
be  available  if  they  proved  worthy.  Thus, 
as  he  said,  he  "sooked"  them  alonsj^,  and  to 
the  astonisliment  of  the  mill  hands,  arrived 
in  an  unusually  short  time  with  a  larn;e  losf. 
It  was  not  only  a  lesson  to  the  men,  but  to 
himself  as  well,  by  which  he  has  profited 
throuijhout  his  entire  life.  He  has  verified 
the  fact  many  times  that  "sooking"  will  suc- 
ceed with  men  as  well  as  oxen  when  the 
whip  will  fail. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  leadership  among 
men.  One  is  the  arbitrary  leadership  of  the 
boss;  the  other  is  natural,  a  true  leadership, 
which  has  for  its  basis  personal  strength  and 
merit.  The  former  is  transient,  having  no 
real  place  among  thinking  and  liberty-lov- 
ing people.  The  other  is  abiding,  for  the 
true  leader  is  ever  in  demand. 

This  latter  type  is  quaintly  set  forth  in 
Longfellow's  "Song  of  Hiawatha": 
"As  unto  the  bow  the  cord  is. 
So  is  unto  man  the  woman ; 
While  she  bends  him,  she  obeys  him. 
Though  she  leads  him,  yet  she  follows.'' 
It  is  the  woman's  leadership — controlling 
by  obedience,  leading  by  following.    A  para- 
dox, perhaps,  but  supported  by  the  logic  of 
actual  achievements  in  every  realm  of  hu- 
man endeavor.    The  workman  controls  the 
209 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

force  of  a  stream  by  obeying  that  force. 
Should  he  plant  his  turbine  on  the  hilltop 
and  command  tlie  water  to  flow  up  the  hill 
and  turn  the  wheel,  the  stream  would  only 
laugh  at  his  impudence  as  it  rippled  on  its 
way.     But  when  he  plants  his  wheel  in  the 
current,    the   stream   at   once   becomes   his 
servant.    It  is  the  principle  observed  by  the 
engineer,  the  sailor,  the  electrician,  or  the 
aviator  in  harnessing  and  utilizing  the  vari- 
ous forces  of  nature.     The  same  principle 
lies  at  the  basis  of  all  true  leadership  in  soci- 
ety, church,  or  state.    The  strict  observance 
of  it  has  enabled  Rev.  Mr.  New  gent  to  touch 
the  motive  springs  of  character  by  means 
of  which  men  are  aroused  to  action.     His 
close  sympathy  with  men  ever  gives  him  an 
unconscious,  commanding  influence.       And 
this  influence  is  always  turned  to  account 
in  their  own  uplifting  and  in  the  advance- 
ment of  righteousness.     Out  of  over  a  half- 
century  in  the  public  ministry,  about  one- 
half  of  his  time  has  been  spent  as  presiding 
elder.    This  official  relation  does  not  afford 
the  opportunity  for  evangelistic  and  other 
forms  of  direct  church  work  as  does  the  pas-- 
torate;  so  that  definite,  visible  results  can- 
not readily  be  computed.    Yet,  few  men  have 
built   for  themselves  greater  or   more  en- 
during monuments  in  the  line  of  tangible 

210 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

results.  INIore  than  six  thousand  members 
have  been  gathered  into  the  denomination 
throuji,h  his  labors.  Thirty  church -houses 
stand  to  his  credit  as  a  church  builder.  He 
has  officiated  at  about  one  hundred  dedica- 
tory exercises,  a  reco<i;nition  of  his  ability  as 
a  money-cjetter.  On  Chautauqua  platforms 
and  special  occasions  of  both  a  relip:ious  and 
senii-reliftious  character  he  has  been  a 
prominent  fif]jure.  And  his  advice  is  always 
at  a  premium  in  the  counsels  of  the  denom- 
ination. 

It  has  been  well  said,  "When  God  made 
wit,  he  pronounced  it  ^ood."  Rev.  ^Fr. 
New,2:ent  has  demonstrated  the  practical 
utility  of  sanctified  wit  and  humor.  It  is 
possible,  however,  that  his  humor  has  led 
to  more  misconception  of  his  character  than 
any  other  thino-  that  could  be  mentioned. 
The  trait  that  touches  the  most  popular 
chord  is  likely  to  be  so  ma<2;nified  as  to  shut 
from  view  others  of  equal  or  jjreater  sig-nif- 
icance.  The  fame  of  an  author  not  infre- 
quently' rests  upon  a  single  production,  and 
that  by  no  means  his  best.  Edward  Es^gle- 
ston  did  not  regard  the  "Hoosier  School- 
master," as  the  best  of  his  works,  but  multi- 
tudes who  have  been  charmed  by  that  sim- 
ple story  will  never  know  that  he  ever  wrote 
anything?  else. 

211 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

That  Eev.  Mr.  Newp;ent  has  in  some  de- 
<?roe  suffered  in  a  simihir  manner  is,  there- 
fore, nothin*>-  more  than  mi<;]it  be  expected. 
Yet,  if  his  humor,  in  the  minds  of  some, 
woidd  reduce  him  to  the  level  of  a  mere 
jokesmith,  to  him  it  has  been  an  invaluable 
asset.  It  has  served  to  open  the  way  for  the 
assertion  of  the  more  substantial  and  prac- 
tical qualities;  it  has  enabled  him  to  capture 
hostile  and  even  riotous  audiences;  with  it 
he  has  battered  down  strongholds  of  oppo- 
sition; it  has  been  an  effective  weapon 
ac^ainst  false  doctrine,  hypocrisy,  and  deep- 
seated  vice  in  its  various  forms;  it  has 
served  as  the  sujijar  coating  for  truths  that 
were  unpleasant  because  of  a  perverted 
taste;  he  has  found  it  a,  splendid  tonic  to 
dispense  with  more  solid  food  to  aid  the 
dijiestion  of  mental  and  spiritual  dyspeptics. 
His  humor  is  of  the  spont-aneous  sort,  ready 
to  boil  over  whenever  the  lid  is  removed. 
It  flows  out  through  his  discourses  and  con- 
versations as  naturally  as  the  stream  ijushes 
from  the  fountain,  and  is  always  mellowed 
by  tenderness  and  a  deep  human  sympathy. 

"Where  dwellest  thou?"  was  asked  of  the 
Son  of  Man.  The  question  was  of  oroater 
significance  than  the  interrogator  supposed, 
and  the  answer  was  even  more  significant. 
The  Savior  did  not  say,  in  Galilee  or  Pales- 

212 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

tine,  or  Nazaroth,  but  simply,  "Come  aud 
see.''  A  man's  habitation  is  not  a  matter  of 
geographical  boundary.  Should  the  ques- 
tion be  addressed  to  Kev.  Mr.  Newgent,  he 
would  say,  "I  live  on  the  sunny  side  of  the 
street."  A  critic  of  Emerson  said  that  be- 
cause of  his  unorthodoxy  he  was  doomed 
to  go  to  hell.  A  contemporary  who  was  ac- 
quainted with  Emerson's  kindly  and  genial 
disposition  remarked  that  if  he  did,  he 
Avould  change  the  climate.  Kov.  Mr.  New- 
gent not  only  lives  on  the  sunny  side  of 
the  street,  but  he  carries  sunshine  with  him. 
He  has  a  knaek  of  distilling  sunshine  from 
every  circumstance  of  life.  He  changes  the 
climate  to  suit  his  own  temperament.  With 
Solomon,  he  believes  in  the  medical  virtues 
of  a  smile,  that  "a  merry  heart  doeth  good 
like  a  medicine." 

He  was  once  called  to  visit  a  woman  in 
the  mountains  of  east  Tennessee,  whom  he 
had  never  seen.  She  was  supposed  to  be 
dying  of  consumption.  It  Avas  late  at  night 
when  he  arrived  and  the  weather  was  in- 
clement. The  physician  was  leaving  the 
house  as  he  approached.  On  learning  who 
he  was,  the  physician  told  him  he  was  too 
late;  the  lady  was  dying.  He  went  at  once 
to  her  bedside,  and  found  that  the  death 
sweat  had  begun  to  gather  and  the  death 
213 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

rattle  Avas  in  her  throat.  He  lifted  up  her 
head  i>ently  and  spoke  to  her.  Iler  face 
brightened,  and  presently  she  bej^an  to  talk. 
She  told  him  that  she  was  fj^hul  he  had  eonie, 
that  she  must  soon  die,  and  feared  she  would 
have  to  go  without  seeing  him. 

But  in  a  voice  tender  but  cheerful,  he  told 
her  he  was  glad  to  do  her  any  favor,  and 
added,  "But  don't  be  in  a  hurry  about  go- 
ing. I  wouldn't  go  to-night,  if  I  were  you. 
The  night  is  dark  and  stormy,  and  you 
might  get  lost  in  these  mountains.  You  had 
better  wait  until  morning.  It  will  be  so 
much  better  to  go  in  the  day  time."  She 
smiled  at  the  eccentricity  of  the  remarks, 
and  seemed  to  make  up  her  mind  to  take  the 
advice.  ^Torning  found  her  much  improved, 
having  apparently  decided  to  postpone  the 
matter  ind(^finitely.  And  contrary  to  the 
predictions  of  her  physician  and  friends, 
she  recovered  to  thank  the  preacher  rather 
than  the  physician  for  prolonging  her  days. 

To  him  there  are  "sermons  in  stone,  and 
books  in  the  running  brooks."  He  finds  in 
the  commonest  things  and  most  common- 
place occurrence  of  everyday  life,  lessons  of 
practical  truth  that  enrich  and  adorn  his 
discourses.  Once  while  in  his  company  we 
were  stopping  at  a  hotel  for  dinner.  While 
we  were  seated  at  the  table,  some  one 
214 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

dropped  a  coin  in  the  slot  of  an  automatic 
music  machine,  at  which  it  bep^an  to  grind 
out  a  familiar  tune.  Rev.  Mr.  New!2:ent  on 
observiniij  the  operation,  quoted  the  lan- 
ojuajje  of  Job,  "I  caused  the  widow's  heart  to 
sin^y  for  joy,"  and  added,  "Don't  you  sup- 
pose that  was  Job's  way  of  making  people 
sing  for  joy — with  a  bit  of  money?"  And 
subsequently  the  illustration  was  used  with 
fine  effect  in  a  discourse  on  benevolence. 

Underlying  all,  and  harmonizing  all  the 
elements  of  his  personality  is  a  firm  and 
abiding  faith  in  God.  It  is  doubtless  easier 
for  some  persons  to  be  religious  than  for 
others.  In  this  respect  he  has  been  favored. 
The  natural  bent  of  his  mind  from  earliest 
childhood  was  toward  religion.  Converted 
at  the  age  of  ten,  his  entire  life  has  been 
controlled  by  a  strong  and  steady  devotion 
to  religious  ideals.  His  faith  is  broad  and 
well  balanced.  Religious  affectation  and 
fads  have  no  part  with  him.  His  religious 
character  was  formed  amid  the  strife  and 
controversies  of  various  creeds  in  a  day 
when  creed  was  everything.  These  contro- 
versies drove  him  to  a  critical  study  of  the 
various  systems  of  theology  in  the  light  of 
the  Bible.  He  made  the  Word  of  God  his 
sole  authority  in  all  doctrinal  matters. 
That  which  he  recognized  as  supported  by 
215 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

the  Book,  lie  made  liis  oavii.  Tliat  he  de- 
f<^n(led  without  apolo^iT  or  compromise. 
While  he  is  doGjmatic  to  a  larcro  dej^ree,  his 
dogmatism  is  of  a  practical  sort.  Tie  be- 
lieves that  there  is  a  vital  relation  between 
doctrine  and  Christian  character.  A  true 
life  cannot  be  built  upon  erroneous  or 
crooked  theoloc^y.  He  often  deplores  the 
fact  that  the  church  has  swuni?  away  from 
the  strict,  doctrinal  teachino;  of  the  past,  be- 
lievinj?  that  in  consequence  it  has  suffered 
the  loss  of  spiritual  vitality  and  zeal. 

His  faith  is  as  simple  as  it  is  broad  and 
dee]i.  The  essentials  of  reli2:ion  are  few  and 
ea^iilv  comprehended.  The  simplicity  of 
frospel  truth  when  properly  presented  is  one 
of  its  strongest  attractive  elements.  In 
many  instances  the  simple  cjospel  has  been 
complicated  and  ob«tcured  bv  a  mass  of  theo- 
loirical  rubbish  heaped  up  by  men  more  in- 
terested in  a.  creed  than  in  the  ultimate 
truth.  If  the  rubbish  is  cleared  awav,  the 
truth  will  shine  forth  clear  and  distinct  in 
its  beauty,  and  men  will  accept  it.  To  re- 
move the  rubbish  and  sxive  a  clear  settinnj 
to  the  simple,  vital  elements  of  Christian 
faith  seems  to  have  been  a  larcre  part  of  his 
appointed  task.  This  is  anion??  his  chief 
contributions  to  the  cause  of  pure  and  unde- 
^led  religion. 

216 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

To  the  8iiii])licily  of  his  faith  should  be 
added  another  quality,  perhaps  best  de- 
scribed by  the  word  "practical."  With  him 
faith  is  an  intensely  practical  thinij.  The 
faith  that  expresses  itself  merely  in  stock 
phrases,  articles  of  a  creed  or  church  mem- 
bership is,  to  say  the  least,  a  base  counter- 
feit, a  useless  commodity.  Xothinp:  seems 
to  him  more  irrelij^ious  than  the  reli,2:ion 
that  beiiins  and  ends  in  noise.  Genuine 
faith  has  a  personal,  spiritual,  and  commer- 
cial value.  Its  his^hest  expression  is  in  do- 
inc:  somethinGf  that  ouijht  to  be  done.  It 
crystallizes  into  character,  and  contributes 
to  human  welfare.  It  places  its  possessor 
upon  the  broad  hi|r«:hway  of  the  world's  need, 
briniiinc:  him  into  sympathetic  touch  with 
the  throbbinu:  heart-life  of  humanity.  Thus 
he  maintains  the  sound  Scriptural  philos- 
ophy that  faith  is  to  be  tested  by  works. 

The  church  has  profited  larsjely  from  his 
beneficence.  A  habit  which  he  has  followed 
throu<]:hout  his  ministry  is,  as  he  says,  "to 
live  like  a  poor  man  and  jffive  like  a  rich 
man" — that  is,  like  a  rich  man  oucht  to 
0Ye.  He  never  turns  down  a  worthy  call 
for  help.  Even  should  there  be  a  question 
as  to  the  merit  of  the  call,  he  usually  cfives 
it  the  benefit  of  the  doubt.  "Flis  house  is 
known  to  all  the  vagrant  train,"  and,  to 
2A7 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

borrow  another  quaint  phrase  from  Gold-  . 
smith,  "even  liis  faults  lean  to  virtue's  side." 
The  tramp  that  comes  to  his  door  j^ets  with 
his  dinner  a  genial  smile  and  wholesome 
words  of  admonition,  even  though  the  din- 
ner, the  smile,  and  the  admonition  are  lost 
upon  a  worthless  subject. 

In  dedicating  churches  he  has  made  it  a 
general  rule  to  give  his  own  subscription  for 
an  amount  equal  to  the  largest  on  the  list. 
On  a  number  of  occasions,  under  pressure  of 
a  great  need,  he  has  pledged  more  than  he 
was  worth,  in  the  faith  that  God  would 
open  the  way  for  meeting  the  obligation. 
x\nd  his  faith  in  every  such  case  has  been 
vindicated.  ITis  life  illustrates  the  Bible 
doctrine  of  increasing  by  scattering.  Re 
surely  has  scattered  with  a  lavish  hand.  He 
has  not  only  observed  the  Lord's  tithe  in  his 
benevolence,  but  has  gone  quite  beyond  it, 
even  to  the  giving,  in  some  instances,  of 
the  greater  part  of  his  income  to  the  Lord's 
cause.  Yet  with  it  all,  he  has  increased  in 
temporal  possessions.  He  has  honored  God 
with  his  substance,  and  God  has  smiled 
graciously  upon  him,  so  that  with  David  he 
can  well  say,  "I  once  was  young,  but  now 
am  old,  yet  have  I  not  seen  the  righteous 
forsaken,  nor  his  seed  begging  bread." 


218 


Chapter  Sixteen. 

"Lights  Out" — A  Dirge  of  the  War. 

A  marked  characteristic  of  Uncle  Jack, 
as  these  papjes  have  shown,  is  his  peculiar 
ability  to  establish  and  maintain  strong 
ties  of  personal  friendship.  This  has  been 
evident  even  from  his  youth.  He  has  gath- 
ered friends  from  all  walks  of  life,  and  their 
name  is  legion.  The  list  has  always  been 
characterized  by  names  that  were  written 
large  in  the  annals  of  Church  and  State. 
Conspicuous  among  these  is  the  late  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel James  T.  Johnson,  of  Rock- 
ville,  Indiana,  a  man  distinguished  for 
talent  and  achievement  in  various  fields. 
The  twain  were  boys  together,  and  the 
friendship  thus  early  formed  continued  un- 
til severed  by  the  death  of  Johnston  in  1904. 
When  Newgent  was  first  winning  laurels  as 
a  boy  preacher,  Johnston  often  walked  five 
miles  to  attend  his  services.  They  were 
young  men,  mere  youths,  when  the  Civil 
War  broke  out.  Both  heard  and  responded 
to  their  country's  call  at  that  dark  time 
when  not  only  the  country's  honor,  but  her 
very  existence  was  at  stake.  Both  served 
under  General  Burnsides,  and  both  held  of- 
219 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

ficial  positions  in  the  army,  Ne\v.2;ent  as 
chaplain  of  his  regiment,  and  Johnston  as 
lieutenant,  later  lieutenant-colonel.  After 
the  war  was  over,  each  won  honors  and 
served  well  his  generation  in  his  chosen  pro- 
fession, the  one  as  a  minister  of  the  c^ospel, 
the  other  as  a  lawyer  and  politician.  Jolms- 
ton  found  room  near  the  top  in  the  le^^al 
profession,  and  at  the  same  time  repre- 
sented his  district  three  successive  terms  in 
(^onjn^ress.  He  ranked  hiijh  as  an  orator, 
and,  like  his  clerical  friend,  was  much  in 
demand  at  reunions  and  other  GjatherinG^s 
of  the  soldiers,  the  two  men  frequently  di- 
viding time  upon  such  occasions.  Had  New- 
gent  chosen  politics  as  a  career,  he  would 
doubtless  have  become  a  political  leader. 
Had  Johnston  turned  his  attention  to  the 
ministry,  he  would  have  taken  rank  in  all 
])robability  among  the  leading  preachers  of 
his  day. 

But  there  was  one  sad  difference  between 
them — Tohnston  was  skeptically  inclined. 
While  the  two  men  maintained  the  highest 
regard  for  each  other,  and  frequently  were 
associated  together  in  their  work,  the  sub- 
ject of  religion  was  one  point  on  which,  to 
the  regret,  possibly,  of  both  parties,  they 
were  not  in  accord.  Johnston's  skepticism 
however,  was  not  of  the  positive  sort.  He  rep- 
220 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

resented  the  honest  doubter  rather  than  the 
avowed  disbeliever.  Ilis  wife  was  a  devout 
Presbyterian,  and  while  he  could  not  sub- 
scribe to  the  tenets  of  the  church,  he  never 
disparajj^ed  the  church  or  its  work.  Every 
worthy  caus(^  found  in  him  a  synii)athizer 
and  liberal  supporter.  His  honor  and  intec;- 
rity  were  never  questioned,  and  he  enjoyed 
the  full  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  fellows. 
It  is  a  matter  of  satisfaction  that  such  a  life 
was  not  permitted  to  go  out  in  the  dark. 
And  Newgent  had  the  joy  of  finally  leading 
him,  just  as  his  sun  was  sinking  below  the 
horizon,  to  a  simple  faith  in  Christ  and  a 
blessed  assurance  of  his  acceptance  witli 
God. 

During  his  last  illness,  which  covered  a 
period  of  six  months,  the  colonel  was  visited 
frequently  by  local  ministers,  but  owing  to 
his  reputed  skepticism  and  his  high  pro- 
fessional standing,  the  subject  of  religion 
Avas  not  pressed  upon  him.  There  is  a  tend- 
ency to  fear  big  men  in  matters  of  religion 
not  easily  explained  and  not  easily  over- 
come, and  it  is  quite  probable  that  many  a 
great  life  has  ended  without  the  consola- 
tions of  religion  that,  were  it  not  for  this 
tendency,  might  have  been  led  into  the  light 
as  readily  as  a  little  child.  Oh,  how  Chris- 
tians fear  the  logic  of  the  world,  and  yet, 

221 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

the  sword  of  the  Spirit  is  a  i»Teater  weapon 
than  all  the  world's  artillery! 

Newji'ent  visited  him  almost  daily  during 
this  time,  and  on  one  occasion  determined 
to  broach  the  subject  of  relij^ion.  "Col- 
onel," he  said,  in  his  usual  tactful  manner, 
"while  you  are  shut  in  here,  would  it  not  be 
a  fine  opportunity  for  you  to  read  the  Bible 
through?" 

"Well,"  he  answered,  "Laura  and  I  tried 
it;  we  took  it  up  by  books,  but  we  jj^ot 
stalled."  It  was,  of  course,  the  colonel  him- 
self who  "<^ot  stalled."  Laura,  his  wife,  was 
a  Christian,  as  has  been  noted,  and  her  faith 
was  not  shaken  by  Scriptural  difficulties. 

"What  was  your  trouble?"  Newi>ent  ques- 
tioned, with  a  view  to  encouraging  conver- 
sation along  that  channel. 

"Well,"  he  said,  "we  got  to  the  book  of 
Job.  I  could  not  reconcile  the  book  of  Job 
with  the  idea  that  God  is  our  Heavenly 
Father,  full  of  love  and  mercy.  If  Job  was 
God's  child  and  a  good  man,  as  the  Bible 
says  he  was,  how  could  a  loving  father  al- 
low a  loving,  obedient  child  to  be  so  abused 
and  tempted  by  the  devil?  I  can't  see 
through  it." 

After  he  had  delivered  his  speech  on  the 
difficulties  of  the  book  of  Job,  and  unburd- 
ened his  mind  somewhat,  Newgent  drew 
222 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

near  to  him,  and  speaking  very  simply  but 
earnestly,  said :  "Colonel,  you  are  a  great 
laAvyer,  but  you  are  only  a  child  in  the 
Bible.  Your  trouble  is  that  you  commenced 
at  the  wrong  place.  When,  as  a  little  child, 
you  started  to  school,  your  teacher  did  not 
start  you  in  the  advanced  studies.  She  put 
you  in  the  A,  B,  C  class.  Now,  don't  be  in 
too  big  a  hurry  to  get  out  of  your  A,  B,  C's 
in  the  study  of  the  Bible,  for  there  is  where 
you  belong.  I  have  been  making  a  study  of 
God's  Word  for  many  years,  and  I  want  you 
to  listen  to  me  a  while.  I  think  we  can  get 
over  the  rough  places  after  a  while.  Do  you 
have  any  trouble  with  Jesus  Christ?  He 
was  God's  dear  son,  yet  he  had  to  suffer 
more  than  any  man,  but  his  suffering  was 
for  others.  So  we  learn  from  Job's  suffer- 
ings that  he  has  helped  millions  to  trust 
God  in  the  dark." 

This  was  the  colonel's  A,  B,  C  lesson  in 
religion.  The  visits  and  conversations  were 
continued  day  after  day,  until  a  couple  of 
days  before  his  death,  when  the  truths  of 
the  preceding  lessons  were  clinched  in  the 
following  conversation : 

"Colonel,"  said  the  preacher,  resuming 
their  lessons,  "you  had  one  of  the  best  moth- 
ers in  the  world,  did  you  not?"  He  admit- 
ted that  he  had. 

223 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 
"She  taught  you  to  say  your  little  pray- 


ers 


9" 


"Yes,"  said  the  great  man,  as  the  tears 
started  from  his  eyes. 

"And  you  never  doubted  her  word?" 

"No — never." 

"That  was  simple  faith  in  mother.  Now, 
in  your  mind  go  back  to  mother,  and  though 
she  is  dead,  look  up  into  her  face  as  when 
you  were  a  child,  and  trust  her  as  you  did 
then.  That  will  represent  the  soul  looking 
up  to  Jesus  and  trusting  him  for  salvation. 
That  is  all  Christ  requires  of  a  sinner." 

As  the  preacher  finished  this  little  homily 
on  faith,  the  colonel  was  weeping  like  a 
child.  "Jack,"  he  sobbed,  "is  that  all  there 
is  in  coming  to  Christ  to  be  saved?" 

"That  is  all  there  is,"  and  before  the 
preacher  could  continue  the  discussion 
further,  the  light  broke  in  upon  the  humble 
and  contrite  heart.  "I've  got  it,"  he  inter- 
rupted with  much  emotion,  at  the  same  time 
grasping  the  preacher's  hand  with  all  the 
strength  his  six-months'  illness  had  left 
him.  Thus,  the  man  who  all  the  years  of 
his  eventful  career,  by  his  own  wisdom  and 
logic  and  learning  knew  not  God,  was  at 
the  last  critical  moment  melted  and  trans- 
formed by  the  light  from  Calvary,  and  a 
great  life  was  snatched  as  a  brand  from  the 

224 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

eternal  burnino-.  The  lawyer,  tiie  states- 
man, the  scholar,  the  orator  received  the 
kinjidom  of  heaven  on  the  Savior's  easy 
terms,  "as  a  litle  child,"  and  two  days  later 
his  soul  passed  into  tlu^  presence  of  Jehovah. 

Kev.  ^Ir.  \e\vj>(Mit  delivered  the  fnneral 
oration.  Men  of  ])rominence  from  various 
parts  of  the  country  helped  to  swell  the 
vast  thronji'  that  was  present  a,t  the  funeral 
service.  The  story  of  the  colonel's  conver- 
sion from  skepticism  to  simple,  savinji:  faith 
in  Christ  was  related  by  the  speaker,  and 
produced  a  profound  impression. 

The  paper  with  wiiich  this  chapter  is 
concluded  refers  to  the  life-lonij  association 
of  the  two  men,  Johnston,  the  "youno-  caval- 
ryman of  Indiana,"  and  Newijent,  the  "boy 
chaplain.''  It  was  read  before  a  special 
meetinjij  of  the  Steele  Post  G.  A.  R.,  and  aux- 
iliary orders  of  Kockville  shortly  after 
Johnston's  death  by  :\rrs.  White,  the  wife  of 
Judge  A.  P.  White  of  that  city.  Judjje 
White  was  also  a  soldier  and  a  lifelong- 
friend  of  Johnston  and  Newfjent.  The  doc- 
tor referred  to  in  the  paper  had  served  as 
a  physician  in  the  Confederate  army,  but 
afterward  took  up  his  residence  in  Rock- 
ville,  where  he  built  up  a  lar.oe  practice. 
The  three  men  were  present  with  the  wife 
when  Colonel  Johnston  died,  and  helped  to 
225 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

make  up  the  scene  in  the  death  chamber  so 
(liamatically  described  in  the  paper. 

"LIGHTS  OUT." 

"It  is  midwinter  in  east  Tennessee  in 
1S()3.  The  rivers  are  flooded,  the  valleys 
desolate,  the  mountain  gaps  gorged  with 
snow.  It  is  the  home  of  mountain  patriots ; 
it  must  be  held  at  all  hazards  to  the  last. 
This  is  Lincoln's  solemn  wish;  it  is  a  part 
of  Grant's  giant  plan  when  Mission  Kidge 
is  stormed.  A  young  cavalryman  of  Indi- 
ana is  one  of  the  ten  thousand  who  keep 
freedom's  vigils  along  the  Clinch,  the  Hol- 
stein,  and  the  French  Broad.  He  munches 
his  meager  rations  of  parched  corn;  he  rides 
the  wild  mountain  roads  night  and  day ;  he 
obeys  to  the  letter  his  orders  to  hold  to  the 
last  man  the  ford  of  a  remote  mountain 
stream.  A  l)uckshot  buries  itself  in  his 
wrist,  making  a  wound  which  heals  long 
after  the  war  and  a  sear  which  he  carries 
to  his  grave.  The  old  flag  stays  in  east  Ten- 
nessee. 

"He  has  a  comrade  from  a  neighboring 
county  who  shares  with  him  the  suffering 
;nul  sacrifice  of  that  desperate  campaign, 
lie  is  the  "boy  chaplain"'  of  the  brigade. 

"It  is  the  >sa.me  winter  along  the  Rappa- 
luinnock  and  the  Rappidan.    The  snow,  like 
226 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

a  measureless  shroud,  covers  the  numberless 
dead  of  the  debatable  land  between  the  Po- 
tomac and  the  James.  There  is  another 
soldier,  a  mere  boy,  a  young  artilleryman 
from  the  Shenandoah,  who  is  one  of  the 
thousands  who  hold  Lee's  unbroken  lines. 
His  battery  long  since  won  its  title  to  glory. 
It  helped  to  clear  the  mountain  gaps  of  the 
Blue  Kidge;  its  red  guns  helped  feed  the 
fires  which  lighted  up  the  valley  of  death 
for  Pickett's  dauntless  charge.  Ill  fed, 
ragged,  but  inbred  with  the  chivalry  of  the 
South,  he  is  in  it  all.  There  is  victory  at 
Chancellorsville,  but  defeat  at  Gettysburg; 
but  St.  Andrew's  cross  still  gleams  blood  red 
on  the  breast  of  the  South.  The  Stars  and 
Bars  still  flash  defiance  from  Marye's  Hill. 

'The  young  artilleryman  also  has  a  com- 
rade from  the  valley,  a  young  trooper  who 
rides  with  Ashby's  cavaliers  in  all  their  wild 
forays, 

"Two  flags,  two  oaths  of  allegiance,  the 
culminating  hates  of  a  hundred  years,  sep- 
arate these  two  young  soldiers  of  the  North 
and  the  South.  But  they  are  not  alien  in 
blood,  they  are  brothers  of  the  same  race, 
Anglo-Saxon  from  the  first  Americans  to  the 
last.  They  speak  the  same  tongue,  their 
mothers  read  the  same  Bible,  prayed  to  the 
same  (i(Ml;  their  forefathers  fought  for  the 
227 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

same  country — Nathaniel  (rreene  at  York- 
town,  Washino-ton  on  Cambridf^e  Heioiits. 

"It  is  midsummer  of  1904.  The  cavalry- 
man of  '63  is  dying;  not  in  the  weary  hos- 
pital of  pain;  not  on  the  perilous  edge  of 
battle.  :More  than  forty  years  have  passed 
since  the  grim  midwinter  of  east  Tennessee. 

"It  is  the  home  he  has  made  for  his  de- 
clining years.  The  rooms  are  cool  and 
sweet,  a  broad  porch  looks  down  a  quiet 
street,  familiar  books  are  everywhere;  his 
escutcheon  over  the  mantel  shows  his  soldier 
record  from  '02  to  '05 — the  old,  old  story  of 
duty  and  glory.  A  blue  book  on  the  table 
tells  briefly  his  struggle  from  the  farm  to 
the  halls  of  Congress;  the  faces  of  states- 
men, kinsmen,  and  friends  look  down  from 
their  appropriate  places  on  the  walls. 

"The  good  right  hand  of  the  veteran  lies  in 
that  of  another ;  grief-stricken  she  keeps  her 
vows,  'till  death  do  us  part.' 

"A  grey-haired  man  holds  the  other.  It  is 
the  soldier  of  the  Rappahannock.  Lee's 
battery  boy  of  T)3  is  the  trusted  physician, 
the  medical  confidant,  and  ministrant  of  the 
Union  soldier.  With  all  the  knowledge  of 
a  learned  and  skillful  physician,  he  has 
fought  the  common  enemy  for  the  life  of 
his  dying  friend.  But  the  odds  are  too 
great.  Old  pains,  old  ailments,  old  wounds 
228 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

of  '(>;>  oiitmatcl)  the  medical  arts  of  1904. 
But,  the  doctor  has  known  the  njrief  of  de- 
feat before.  Once  a  lonji;  time  ajjo  he  yiel<led 
to  the  inevitable  in  the  orchards  of  Appo- 
matox.  He  lays  his  ear  close  over  the  fail- 
ing heart  to  catch,  if  he  can,  its  last  linjj^er- 
in*;'  drum-beats  in  the  battle  of  life.  Tin 
places  liis  finjjers  on  the  pulseless  wrist, 
searchinjj;  for  its  last  faint  tlirob — and  they 
rest  montionless  for  a  moment  on  the  old 
scar  of  '63.    'It  is  over,'  he  says  very  softly. 

"A  low  word  of  prayer  for  the  widow  and 
fatherless  falls  from  the  lips  of  the  ji'rey- 
haired  minister  at  the  foot  of  the  bed.  It  is 
the  'boy  chaplain'  of  the  dead  veteran's  old 
brigade — youthful  to  the  end.  Another 
man  beside  him,  thin-visap^ed  and  bent.  It 
is  Ashby's  old  trooper,  and  his  eyes  are  full 
of  tears  as  he  walks  slowly  out  of  the  room. 

"  'Lights  out.'  'The  bands  in  the  pine 
woods  cease.  A  robin  sings  close  by,  as  they 
will  in  summer  evenings;  the  fragrance  of 
old-fashioned  flowers  steals  in  through  the 
white  window  curtains.  The  sun  sinks  be- 
hind the  church  across  the  street,  the 
shadow  of  its  belfry  coming  in  at  the  open 
door.  And  over  all,  Lincoln's  worn  face 
looks  down  from  its  place  among  the  pic- 
tures on  the  wall.  Even  now  with  the  hush 
of  death  upon  us  all,  we  hear  his  plaintive 
229 


The  Experiences  of  Uncle  Jack 

prophecy  of  loug'  aj>o :  'We  are  not  enemies 
but  friends.  We  must  not  be  enemies. 
Thouj2^1i  passion  may  liave  strained,  it  can- 
not break  tlie  bonds  of  our  affection.  The 
mystic  chord  of  memory,  stretching  from 
every  patriot  "rave  and  battlefield  to  every 
living-  heart  and  hearthstone  all  over  this 
broad  land,  will  yet  swell  the  chorus  of  the 
Union  when  touched  again,  as  they  surely 
will  be,  by  the  better  angels  of  our  nature.'  " 


230 


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